Beyond Aeaea
by Casa Circe
Summary: AU Folken/Eries. Having met under unusual circumstances, the Zaibach Strategos and second princess of Asturia begin a marriage that leads them to perform a delicate balancing act between being their true selves and wearing the masks they need to survive.
1. Prologue

Ultra Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Prologue

_There's no guarantee that you are ever going to see each other again, _the sorceress told them as they reluctantly departed from the luxurious and mystical isle where so much had been revealed.

The owner of the haven smiled sadly at them, understanding the pain of separation and also knowing full well the inevitability of it. It seemed that she had been present at countless other scenes of departure and she was already accustomed to it. The speech she gave was rehearsed and yet there was still a hint of sadness in it, as if she had never really taken any pleasure in reciting it, no matter how many times she already had. Her tone was firm and yet soothing.

_But if, by the slimmest of chances, your paths do cross once more, there will be a sign, a distinguishing mark that will ensure that you are meeting the same person you met here tonight._

_There is a need for such a mark of recognition because there must be certainty. You may or may not remember each other's faces, but in many cases, memory plays tricks on us all. And sometimes, there are certain things which we choose not to remember._

_And you are already acquainted with my policy about names. I trust you have not exchanged names here, and indeed it will do you no good. I will make you forget those names, in any case._

_As I have explained before, a name is sometimes the best disguise a person can ever wear. Useless things like that effectively conceal who you really are and since this is a place of absolute truth, we have no use for names here._

_But I understand that you will need those names once you venture back into your own worlds. Just as well._

_You shall be branded with this small symbol on your left thumb. Don't ask me why it will be placed at this particular spot. I trust that you will understand it all full well once you see it. Don't worry, it isn't some grand tattoo that will be visible to all those who know you. Just a small and simple letter "V" with chains snaking around it. Broken chains, you will notice._

_Of course, it has to go very well with my motif of truth being unshackled. You will see it soon._

_And once you see that mark, small though it may be, you will know that Fate has decreed for you to meet again. Once you come in contact with one another, the marks will burn, ever so slightly, and yet just enough for you to be reminded._

_Do not despair. It has happened to my former guests, in some cases, although again I cannot guarantee that such a meeting will fall under as favorable circumstances as it did here._

_What you will do after you realize that, of course, is entirely up to you. The paths you take after that and where they will lead you are not within my power to see or to tell you of. So choose wisely and I can only add that I wish you well._

_--_

_**NOTE: **_**Just one of those stories which slowly but surely materialized in my head, not letting me get any sleep or rest, gnawing at my consciousness and imposing upon me to write it even if I have so many other stories on hold and so many other things to do. But such is the Muse when something takes her fancy.**

**Weird beginning, I know, but there is a story that follows. Do let me know how you find it so far, please. :)**


	2. Chapter 1

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: Thanks for the reviews. This chapter goes well with "Shadow of a Doubt" in the background.

Chapter One

A greater cold settled over the stony, ancient halls of the Asturian royal palace as a guest made his way through the place. The tall, stately figure, clad completely in a dark cloak made resolute steps towards the throne room. His eyes were cold and his expression passive and there was a severe air about him that made even the other servants shy away. He did not mind this in the least as he was accustomed to such reactions to his person.

The sharp coldness which constantly surrounded him had always struck fear (or at the least, great uneasiness) in the hearts of those who came in contact with him. Such had it been for close to a decade now and he had grown indifferent to his effect on other people. At times, such a presence made it easier to negotiate with others.

Strategos Folken of Zaibach was in deep thought about the meeting that was just about to take place. It was not his first visit to the coastal country of Asturia but it was the first time he was going to on official business without the company of the other Zaibach officials. It seemed that his position as high diplomat of the empire was finally being put to the test.

King Grava Efud Aston was considered one of the most difficult leaders to deal with, especially when it came to international relations in Gaea. He was a shrewd and manipulative leader who had kept his country prosperous through various effective means (sometimes even underhanded). And although he did not act outwardly like a cruel tyrant, none of his subjects dared oppose him openly. He was that much of a force to be reckoned with.

And yet, in spite of this king's reputation, Folken felt quietly confident that he and Aston would come to an agreement. After all, the Strategos' own reputation as a negotiator and representative of the Zaibach Empire was not to be trifled with.

Asturia was not a warring country but its mercantile power was bound to be a great asset to Zaibach in the coming years. Folken knew this well and Emperor Dornkirk was depending on him to establish firm and healthy relations with Asturia in order to make the most of their resources. The seafaring nation would need Zaibach's military protection and technological contributions while Zaibach could make some good use of the Asturian navy and its wealth of raw materials.

All these political and economic considerations played in the Strategos' mind as he continued his walk towards the King's meeting area. He had made ample research and preparation for this official visit and he had a well-rehearsed speech in his head. Every risk had been taken into consideration, everything carefully calculated and planned. Folken himself had seen to everything himself, to minimize mistakes and possible faux pas.

And yet, as annoying as this was for the organized and conscientious Strategos, something did not feel right enough. It was not something he could explain or analyze. Everything that was observable was under control. But there still was an unknown element that was out of place somehow and it was frustrating because he could not foretell or avoid whatever consequences would follow.

Folken didn't even know if the mystery would be beneficial or not. All he could feel (and he was not the type of person to trust in hunches and emotions) was that an unanticipated event was going to take place this very evening, during his meeting with King Aston.

The Zaibach Intelligence told him nothing suspicious and their spies in Asturia had nothing to report so he could not be sure what lay before him, beyond the grand double doors of the throne room. He had finally reached it. Staring up at the gilded ornaments, the doors engraved with the Asturian coat of arms as well as the figure of Jichia, the dragon-god of the sea, Folken narrowed his eyes.

He wasn't accustomed to being nervous or wary of anything. And that inexplicable hunch of his told him that it was not King Aston whom he should be anxious about. After all, he had pretty much figured out that king and his ways. No, it was something else.

A vision flashed before his eyes, fleeting and almost unrecognizable, a face from a memory he had tucked away in the deepest recesses of his mind.

Folken shook his head, banishing the image from his mind. He didn't need any unnecessary distractions, especially now.

_This is it_, he thought with a sigh, _the sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can get back to things I can actually comprehend._

He entered the room quietly and carefully. The King sat waiting on his throne, a grave and expectant expression on his face. Folken bowed respectfully and made the proper greetings.

Aston acknowledged him with a nod and beckoned him to come closer. As Folken obeyed the order, he noticed some movement coming from the shadowy pillar next to the king. Aston seemed to be calling someone as well.

And when the figure emerged, Strategos Folken stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes resting on the person's face.

She too seemed to catch sight of him and their gazes met. Fortunately for both, they had both had a lifetime of practice in masking their true emotions so their faces betrayed nothing. And they somehow managed to keep their stares merely intent and not revelatory.

"I failed to mention in our last correspondence, Lord Folken," Folken heard the King's voice echo in the hall, "that we are to be joined today by one of my most trusted advisers, my second daughter, Eries Aria Aston."

Folken managed to tear his eyes away from her face to nod in acknowledgment at the king but beneath his dark, black cloak, his mechanical hand balled up into a fist.

She looked just as she did two years ago, although he could see that there was more wisdom and gravity in those deep eyes of hers. And she did not seem to know him. Was he hallucinating?

"_...memory plays tricks on us all..."_

He certainly did not need such a distraction and neither did she. Nevertheless, he felt himself drawn to her with the same ineffable force that had drawn them both to that mysterious island.

He needed to be sure it was her, and there was only one way to do that.

Slowly but surely, the Strategos of Zaibach walked towards the second Princess of Asturia. Once before her, he gave a small bow which she returned with a small curtsy.

"It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Princess Eries," he said cordially.

"And yours as well, Lord Folken," she replied with equal deference.

And then, with uncharacteristic gallantry, he took her left hand in his, slightly brushing her left thumb with his cold fingers, and brought it to his lips.

At that moment the tiny brands on their thumbs glowed and burned their skin, and they both knew that their fates were irrevocably entwined.


	3. Chapter 2

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: Thank you for the reviews. The events prior to the actual story are going to be alluded to every now and then but never fully elaborated. I'd like to keep the element of mystery.

Chapter Two

"I received a very interesting proposal today."

The two remaining princesses of Asturia looked up at their father curiously.

The royal family was having their supper quietly at the long, grand table of the royal dining hall. A meal that seemed more like a feast was laid before the three diners who did not have great appetites.

And given the recent announcement from the King, the other two present lost all inclination to finish their food. He rarely spoke to them in such a grave tone.

Eries likewise faintly recognized the knowing glint in his eyes as an indication of a state matter that would greatly involve either one of the princesses. She had some inkling of what was to come but she also knew that her father had a tendency to keep them in suspense for as long as possible, no matter how urgent the issue.

Millerna looked a little worriedly at her father and wondered what he had to tell them. He seemed both pleased and apprehensive about the news and was reluctant to speak of it immediately.

He only ever spoke to them that way when a matter was of national importance.

Seeing that both of his daughters were ready to hear what he had to say, King Aston smiled and cleared his throat.

Eries rolled her eyes. She didn't know why her father had to always make such a flamboyant show whenever he was about to make some grand announcement. But she had also grown apprehensive. She gripped her goblet of vino tightly, but did not bother taking a sip of the rare vintage.

"As you know I have been engaged in diplomatic discussions with the representative from the Zaibach Empire, Lord Folken," the king began.

At the mention of Folken's name, Eries blinked but her face remained impassive. The king had glanced at her briefly to gage her reaction but she had revealed nothing.

"I won't bore you, Millerna, with all the political details," he continued, "and Eries already knows most of them so there will be no need to repeat them here. What I'd like to discuss tonight is the very real possibility of forming an alliance with Zaibach."

"We've already made agreements with them on trade and military aid," Eries elaborated, "and we've established strong economic ties with them as well. What more do we need for a stronger alliance?"

Aston smiled at his older daughter's astuteness. Such things rarely escaped Eries' notice. Her eyes were narrowed on him now, and he suspected that she already knew what he was about to say.

"There is one other arrangement that would cement the relations between our two nations," the king said, "and I trust that you are familiar with it."

Eries frowned, and Millerna's eyes grew wide with realization.

"Surely, Father, you don't mean an intermarriage between the nobility of both Asturia and Zaibach?" the younger princess exclaimed in shock.

"Millerna, that is exactly what I was referring to," her father replied calmly.

He could see the consternation in his younger daughter's face at the discovery. Millerna never liked having such matters decided for her, even if it was for her own good.

"But who..?" before Millerna could finish her question, her father answered it.

"Lord Folken has proposed a match between himself," Aston said gravely, his eyes narrowed significantly, "and you, Eries."

Millerna gasped loudly and turned to look at her sister's reaction to this news.

Eries' eyes had widened greatly and she had turned to her father questioningly. He nodded and she knew that it was quite certain.

"With the approval of Emperor Dornkirk, of course," King Aston added rather unnecessarily.

Eries frowned and turned her face away, instead focusing on her reflection in the vino of her goblet.

_So that is his design_, she thought as she pondered the situation.

"I trust you will know the proper course of action to take, Eries," the king added, with the slightest hint of warning, "I know you've been obstinate about such political marriages in the past and I let those incidents slide. But these are weightier circumstances."

Eries remained silent. He was right, of course.

She had resolutely refused to be manipulated into any marriage before because she had harbored some feelings for a certain Knight Caeli.

Those were long gone. At least, after she realized how fleeting those sentiments had been when she was in Aeaea. She did not care to dwell on those memories for the present. All she could be certain of was that her heart was no longer captive to Allen Schezar.

Therefore, she no longer had the motives of refusing such an offer. And she could tell that her father already knew this.

Otherwise, he would not have even considered the deal and would have tried to negotiate for other terms.

He had not bothered to do so.

"You are very well aware of the implications of such an arrangement with Zaibach and the importance of this for our country," he continued, and then added darkly, "as well as the potential danger of refusing them anything they have condescended to ask of us."

Eries turned to glance at her father seriously. He returned her gaze.

She knew exactly what he meant. Zaibach's great military power was a constant shadow on all the nations around it. Asturia was not in a position to decline any of the offers Emperor Dornkirk gave them.

And Strategos Folken had made it perfectly clear that establishing firm relations between their two countries would ensure Asturia's safety in the long-term. They would be guaranteed protection in the event of a conflict.

She would secure for her country incalculable security and peace. It would be a fulfillment of her duty as a princess of Asturia.

And, by consenting to this, she would regain her right as heir to the throne.

There was the other matter, that of how she felt towards her intended. At the thought, she instinctively glanced at the tiny brand on her thumb. No one else knew of their previous encounters and she intended to keep it so.

Nevertheless, she could not help but wonder if this was a purely political move on Zaibach's part, or if Folken's experiences in Aeaea had influenced such a proposal.

What was that man trying to tell her? What did he plan to do? Eries considered these for a few moments.

Then, she realized that King Aston and Millerna were still waiting for her reaction.

Giving a soft sigh, she nodded to her father gravely.

"I am glad that you have finally come to your senses on this matter, Eries," the old man said with pride and some degree of relief as well, "and of course, you know what greater things are in store for you beyond this."

Eries said nothing but continued to stare intently at her goblet of unconsumed wine.

"But, Father," Millerna protested, "how can you consent to such an arrangement for my sister? How can she be engaged to _that _man? And to be married for such reasons!"

"Hush, Millerna," her father warned her, "your sister knows her duty and her place. It is high time you learned yours."

This silenced the younger princess and she could only look sadly as her sister resigned herself to her new fate.

But unknown to both the king and the youngest princess, the fate decreed for Eries was not as undesirable to her as it initially seemed.


	4. Chapter 3

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you like the story so far. This chapter will be a bit...descriptive. The rating may be higher. But most of the action is rather implied, glimpses of what happened in Aeaea. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter Three

"So is this your way of getting me back into your bed, Lord Folken?"

The Strategos of Zaibach turned with astonishment to see the stern, regal figure of Princess Eries Aston looking at him steadfastly. They were alone in one of King Aston's waiting rooms, a dark, cold place that suited them both. Her expression was the usual unreadable, passive one that everyone was most familiar with. But her eyes spoke volumes.

As he returned her gaze, Folken noticed that there was no contempt or ill will in those powerful eyes despite the question she had just posed. She seemed more curious (and slightly amused) than offended. And that was what surprised him the most.

Although of course, he didn't show it.

Some of the informal frankness that had been required of them in Aeaea was still left in her and she spoke with the openness of one who was acquainted with him more than as a princess and dignitary.

"If you must put it so bluntly, then, yes, I suppose this is my way of getting you back into my bed," he replied calmly, returning her gaze, "and back into my life as well."

She blinked at this although her face remained placid.

As they stood together there, face to face for the first time after two years, distinct memories flashed through their minds.

_Limbs almost inextricably entwined, bodies writhing in passion in the flickering candle light._

Folken tried his best not to be distracted by those vivid images that had begun seeping through cracks of his subconscious. He needed to explain his reasons for the proposal.

She waited for his answer patiently, although not unperturbed. Similar images were appearing in her memory as well.

_His face buried in her long, golden tresses, taking in her fragrance._

"You are, naturally, aware of the political advantages of such a match," he began on an awkward note.

"Of course," she answered curtly, "but I suspect that there's more to it than that. And that's what I want to know."

She narrowed her eyes at him warily.

"What value do I have in your life?" she asked pointedly.

_Hands clasped, breaths mingled._

"More than your current estimation of yourself, I assure you," he answered calmly, "I know you very, very well."

"And I know just as much about you," she replied coolly, almost threateningly.

He gave a small, amused smile.

"I haven't forgotten," Folken replied.

_It had been more than just physical longing. They had revealed to each other everything about themselves._

"And given such an intimate acquaintance," Folken continued, "we are the most suited to each other, even if no one else needs to know why."

"I can see that you missed me that much," she teased slightly, her eyes brightening for the briefest moment.

Folken could not find an immediate answer to that.

_The scent of her, the sweet taste of her lips, the warmth and softness of her skin._

There was heat between them still_._ But they wore those masks which effectively hid all that they truly felt.

But her face grew serious again.

They both knew that useless emotions would only get in the way of the greater things that they were meant to do.

"You know more than anyone how important it is to stay focused," she told him, "you told me yourself that you were determined to see the Emperor's plan through, no matter what you needed to give up."

"But I don't need to give you up," he replied easily, "not if you can be instrumental to achieving that which I must."

"So you are using me?" she asked coldly, "and what makes you think I would consent to that?"

"You already did," he answered smoothly, "and you would never let yourself be used. You stand to gain from this yourself and that is why you agreed to it."

His words were the oil that was greasing the wheels of the transaction, if that was indeed what it was to be called.

She was not one to be coerced into a marriage for political reasons. If she did this, it was of her own accord, and not at her father's orders. She was not Marlene or Millerna.

_Kisses raining on one another, whispered secrets._

In truth, she really was not averse to the idea. No, that would be an understatement.

He was probably the only man in the world she would ever consider marrying.

_Strong arms wrapped around her, one warm and tender, another cold and metallic. But she didn't care. She needed that strange embrace._

_And all that time in Aeaea, Allen Schezar was furthest from her mind. In fact, Eries seemed to have given up on all romantic feelings for him. He no longer mattered._

Eries wanted to marry Folken, more than she was willing to admit.

But she wasn't about to let this desire cloud her vision until she found out why he had really proposed. But so far, his explanations were satisfactory.

"If we do not become what we were to each other there then everything is meaningless," he said. She smiled.

"And what were we to one another then, pray tell?" she dared him, her eyes intense in their gaze.

He said nothing but gave her a significant glance.

"Do not delude yourself," she replied with cold amusement but weakening resolve, "we are no longer in Aeaea."

He could see the doubt in her eyes and he fully comprehended her position. But he was determined to reassure her of his true intentions or at least, what he believed them to be. It was, perhaps, one of those very rare occasions that he allowed Folken Fanel to run the life of the Strategos.

She was the only person who could read him so well. And after all that was shared in Aeaea, they had grown to know each other more than either of them had ever expected.

"Indeed we are not," he conceded, "but do we need to be?"

For a moment, she saw in those cold eyes, a spark of that fire that had consumed them both then. It was at that instant that she knew she was powerless to refuse her own urgent desires.

_Those immaculate feathers covering her shivering body like the softest, warmest blanket._

_Perhaps_, Eries finally conceded to herself, _this wasn't such a bad idea, after all._

He held his breath as she walked towards him, her eyes still intense and unreadable.

"Will you have me, Eries Aria Aston?" he whispered so softly only she could hear him. He gently raised her face to his with his thumb under her chin. She looked up.

Their eyes met and a silent agreement was made.

"I suppose I will," Eries whispered back, closing the small distance between them and claiming his lips with hers.

What had developed between them in their stay in Aeaea was an emotional and physical bond that neither could fully understand nor explain.

They would not go so far as to call it love (the situation was too complex for such an inconvenient emotion).

But they were certain that it was a powerful enough connection to sustain a marriage.

After all, they had both witnessed other marriages that had survived on so much less.


	5. Chapter 4

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: I cannot write an Escaflowne story without including my favorite character in the series. As much as I love the Folken/Eries couple, Dilandau will always be number one in my heart.

Here is his reaction to the news. And I post this update on his birthday.

**EDIT: This was supposed to be posted yesterday but this site would not let me log in. Sorry for the delay.**

Chapter Four

"So the rumors are true then?" asked a mockingly amused voice, "Strategos Folken is really getting married."

Folken entered the room from which the voice had originated.

He knew very well who had said those words. And as busy as the Strategos was with all the necessary preparations for the wedding, not to mention all his other duties, he decided it would be a brief (although slightly irritating) respite to speak with the man within.

Although Folken was the superior officer, he was often defied by this junior officer who thought very highly of himself. And yet, somehow Folken felt that this arrogant and stubborn young man would play a vital role in all the Emperor's plans, and this went beyond the boy's military prowess.

Folken decided that it would be wise to speak to him and in so doing have an idea of what the mischievous captain was planning. It was so much better to err on the side of caution.

Folken entered quietly and calmly, as was his manner and showed no reaction whatsoever to the other man's teasing.

Dilandau Albatou sat in full armor, his booted legs propped up on a table where a half-empty bottle of vino was placed.

The other contents of the bottle were in a goblet which the young captain held to his lips. His crimson eyes sparkled with purpose. The pale, silver-haired young man seemed to be in a particularly good mood.

And with Dilandau, that never boded well.

Folken narrowed his eyes at the younger man but said nothing.

Dilandau watched the Strategos with mischievous amusement since he greatly enjoyed getting on Folken's nerves.

"I suppose I should congratulate you then," the sly captain said with a sinister grin.

Folken acknowledged this with a slight nod. He would endure whatever the boy had to say because he needed to know what Dilandau was up to.

And deep inside the Strategos, he felt a slight protective streak for this delinquent captain, who was the same age as his younger brother.

Folken took an empty goblet and poured some of the wine into it. Dilandau's bright red eyes followed the other man's every movement.

"I don't see why you should act so surprised, Dilandau," Folken said calmly, "such arrangements are not uncommon in Gaea, especially when countries need to form strategic alliances."

"I am well aware of _that,_ Lord Folken," Dilandau answered matter-of-fact-ly, "what surprised me was hearing that you yourself suggested it to Emperor Dornkirk."

Folken saw what Dilandau meant. Most of them never acted without direct orders from the Emperor and he himself had followed that practice.

But it was only on this occasion that Folken proposed a political maneuver to the Emperor. Of course, once he gave the necessary arguments, Dornkirk had agreed. But all the other officers had been shocked at Folken's audacity.

"As I said," Folken answered, "the practice is not such a rare one in Gaean politics."

"You are the last person I expected to act so impulsively though," Dilandau continued mischievously, "you usually think things through before you act. That habit of yours is sometimes so tedious."

"And what makes you think I didn't think this through?" Folken asked, trying not to sound offended.

Not that that would matter to Dilandau.

"Come on, Folken," Dilandau chided, leaning forward, "you had only just met the girl! And the next thing we know, you arranged to marry her."

"Before anything, Dilandau," Folken interrupted, "you will not refer to my future wife in such informal terms. She is a princess of Asturia and well worthy of your respect. And she is also six years your senior. Do not speak of her so candidly."

Immediately after he had spoken, Folken realized that this was just the reaction Dilandau had been prodding him to give. Instead of being ashamed of his rudeness, Dilandau simply smiled with satisfaction.

But such comments were unavoidable and Folken knew that he would have had to tell Dilandau off regardless of the situation. Sometimes the young man had to know that such misbehavior was not to be tolerated.

Folken was forever thankful that no one had gotten the hare-brained idea of placing Dilandau in the diplomatic corps.

"The princess, then," Dilandau conceded haughtily, "and exactly what did you see in her that induced you to this little arrangement?"

"As I have already explained to you and the rest of the Zaibach Empire," Folken began, trying to keep a level head, "this marriage is to cement an important military and economic alliance with Asturia. And with Princess Eries being next in line for the throne, the benefits we can reap out of this alliance will only increase in the near future."

Dilandau rolled his eyes and shook his head, laughing slightly. Folken did not take the bait.

"I'm sure that's a very convenient and well-rehearsed excuse, Folken," the young man commented, "and no doubt well accepted by everyone else, but I think that there's more to it."

"Your opinion has no bearing on the matter," Folken stated simply. Anything Dilandau would imply would not damage any of his plans. The boy merely wanted to stir some trouble between them. But Folken doubted that Dilandau's mischief would escalate to anything serious.

After all, the captain was merely finding something to pass the time before he went back to his intensive military training. There was nothing that Dilandau liked most.

Dilandau merely laughed Folken's last comment.

"I didn't think you would be so sensitive about this, Strategos," Dilandau added, "it only confirms my suspicions."

"And those are?" Folken asked, slightly curious but half guessing the answer.

"Simply that you've taken a fancy to the princess, that's all," Dilandau announced with a half-repulsed and half-amused grin, "I would have never imagined you to be such a silly, love-sick idiot."

"Don't be ridiculous, Dilandau," Folken replied coolly, "I have no time to humor such irrational, unfounded accusations."

Folken took this as his cue, stood up, and made his way out of the room. Dilandau cackled diabolically behind him.

"Not as unfounded as you may think, Strategos," the dragon slayer taunted, "and you're not exactly in the position to tell me I'm being irrational."

Folken did not turn to face Dilandau but he stood still, waiting for the tirade to end. The bottle of vino was now nearly empty from Dilandau's continual consumption.

"I suppose you should be going off to order flower arrangements and such," the crimson-eyed soldier continued to taunt sarcastically, "my regards to your future wife and I am looking forward to being a part of the entourage!"

Folken left the highly amused (and intoxicated) captain to his devices. He knew that Dilandau would soon drop the issue because the new Alseides units were almost ready to be inspected and tested. No doubt, that would keep the restless warrior preoccupied for some weeks.

Nevertheless, Folken decided to be wary. This little conversation was a warning of sorts.

For all his subordination and mischief, Dilandau could be a very keen observer. And what the vicious young captain decided to do about his observations was always potentially dangerous.

His crimson eyes were sparkling with crimson eyes were sparkling with purpose.


	6. Chapter 5

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: Something went awry with the last update so I don't know if you were able to read it. Or maybe it wasn't worth reviewing much. Please do review this one, if you can. Thanks.

_This is also to "celebrate" 09-09-09. One day. 9 posts (new stories or updates)._

Another person's reaction to the upcoming Aston-Fanel nuptials.

Chapter Five

"I cannot believe you are going through with this," Millerna protested as she followed her serene sister, as they took a short break from their royal duties.

"Well, you had better believe it, little sister," Eries replied calmly, "because it is really going to happen."

Millerna frowned at this and folded her arms. She could not help but be frustrated at the nonchalant way her sister dealt with a major change in her life. Millerna herself would not have known how to react to such an arrangement.

Eries walked on and Millerna trailed her sister impatiently. The younger princess could still not reconcile herself to the idea that yet another one of her older sisters was getting married for the sake of political convenience.

It was not so much of her great concern for either Eries or Marlene but somehow Eries' impending doom/marriage was only a stark reminder of the fate that awaited Millerna. No doubt, she would be next in line for another "advantageous" match.

But no matter how many times she had tried dissuading Eries from her decision, Millerna had not even managed to get the smallest of concessions from her older, more sensible sister. The younger princess had not wanted to see Eries' talents in ruling the kingdom wasted on a marriage that would surely subordinate her position.

"But you don't love him!" Millerna blurted out, running out of coherent arguments to offer.

Eries turned to face her younger sister with a serious but slightly amused expression on her face.

Millerna immediately regretted having said something so rashly and racked her brain for a good apology.

"That doesn't really matter, Millerna," Eries replied with a small smile, "you ought to know that."

There were some moments when Eries was sorely tempted to confide everything in Millerna, to make the girl understand that there was so much more to this wedding than a mere political arrangement. But Eries would always counsel herself against it. She highly doubted Millerna would understand everything, or even believe it.

"But he looks so cold and unfeeling," Millerna continued, still unable to check herself, "and almost cruel."

"And how do you know that?" Eries asked, slightly piqued at her sister's estimation of Folken.

But then, Eries could not fully blame the girl. She knew what image Folken was constantly projecting to others. She herself was one of the few people who could stand up to him without feeling completely weak in the knees.

"The few times that I've seen Lord Folken, I've always felt a shiver down my spine. There is something about him, I don't know, that scares me. And I'm scared for you, too, sister. Especially you."

"I pray that you would not judge my future husband on first impressions and baseless hunches," Eries replied a bit defensively, "such judgmental habits are not becoming of a princess."

"I am sorry if I offended you, sister, by speaking so of your fiancé," Millerna answered apologetically.

"There is more to him than you think," Eries explained, "and I would have you know that I would never agree to marry someone whom I could not respect or esteem."

Millerna bowed her head humbly, ashamed of her outburst.

"I didn't know you thought so well of him, Eries," Millerna answered softly, "I will learn to respect him as my brother if you respect him as your husband."

Eries smiled at her sister, and laid a hand on Millerna's shoulder comfortingly.

"Do not be too sad about this, little sister," Eries consoled the other, "a wedding is a happy occasion. I would have you smiling and laughing as you always do."

"I will try," Millerna answered honestly.

Eries gave her a quick hug and turned to go as she had some business to attend to in another part of the palace.

Watching Eries walk further and further away from her in one of the palace's grand halls, Millerna felt that a great distance was being put between them by this wedding. Not that they had been very close to begin with. Millerna had always been more intimate with the less serious Marlene.

Nevertheless, she did not want to lose another sister to her father's manipulative schemes.

Millerna caught up with Eries and asked her some more questions. Eries listened patiently.

"How can you be so calm about this when Marlene had been so upset when she first found out," Millerna asked. She did not anymore mention that at least the Duke of Freid seemed less forbidding than the Strategos of Zaibach lest she offend her sister again.

"Marlene made an unnecessary fuss over a matter which she had no control over," Eries replied, "I am trying to be more reasonable. There is no call to waste so much energy over your inevitable fate as a princess."

Millerna looked away at this, knowing that Eries was referring to her as well.

Eries' expression softened. They were both grave as they remembered their deceased sister.

"But in the end, Marlene did learn to love her husband, remember?" Eries reminded her, "and she had a lovely little boy, a complete family. Marlene was happy even in her last days."

Millerna nodded, fondly remembering her beloved nephew. Eries was right. In the last few visits they had made to Freid, Marlene had looked as bright and vibrant as she had always been, so full of warmth and love for her family.

"I believe that I have the same chance of such happiness with Lord Folken as with any other man," Eries continued, a bit of her true feelings bubbling to the surface, "and when the time comes, I'm sure you too will understand my position."

Although never entirely, Eries added to herself silently.

"We will have opportunities to be happy," Eries continued earnestly, "although not always in the way that we expect."

Millerna looked once more at her elder sister's calm and sympathetic gaze. She immediately threw her arms around Eries affectionately.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused, sister," Millerna whispered, "and I congratulate you on your coming wedding."

Eries smiled as she returned the embrace.

But Millerna could not hold back a small sob as she held her sister tighter.

"I'm really going to miss you," the youngest princess of Asturia whispered to her only remaining sister.


	7. Chapter 6

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

_NOTE: __I know it's been a while. I'm so sorry for the delay. So many excuses, I won't bore you with them. _

_Here is the wedding, a longer chapter to compensate for the delay and to introduce some new layers to the story, hopefully ones you will enjoy. Don't jump to conclusions though. Not all is as it seems._

_Just know that I try my best to keep most of these people in character._

_I will try my best to post one more chapter before the year is up. Reviews are much, much loved. This is my humble present to you all for your support and encouragement! The story will go on._

_Merry Christmas to everyone!_

Chapter Six

Folken and Eries were married on a bright summer's day, greatly in contrast to the overall mood of the wedding party.

It was not a grand or festive occasion but instead a solemn and formal ceremony, but this much was expected. The trappings were not too elaborate and the event was not very publicized. The party was a private one, held in one of the function rooms of the Asturian palace, which was properly and not overly decorated for the occasion. There was to be a small feast, as was customary, but nothing very remarkable. The whole event seemed to be reflective of the no-nonsense demeanor of the couple, and of the political benefits of the match. The union, after all, was not built on any pretenses of sentimentality, but on practical, functional motives.

The guests were limited to the higher-ranking officers of the Zaibach Empire, King Aston, Princess Millerna, a few courtiers and ministers, and a small retinue of Knights Caeli to serve as the escort.

Among these knights was Allen Schezar VIII, selected upon special invitation of both princesses since he was an old friend. So the good knight travelled from his post at Castelo in order to serve at the wedding.

Arriving a few days prior to the big event, he had an audience with the bride and offered her his congratulations.

"I wish you joy, Princess Eries," he had said respectfully and as expected.

But Eries, being the perceptive princess that she was, noticed a hint of tentativeness in his tone, which would not have been evident to a regular spectator. She had some inkling of the cause of his hesitation and it amused her greatly. No doubt he felt just as Millerna did and was slightly concerned for her welfare.

"You don't sound too convinced that I will be happy in this marriage," she told him, curious to hear his reaction.

Allen's eyes widened at this and seeing Eries' interested expression, he realized that it would be useless to hide anything from her. She was much too sharp.

With a sigh, he nodded.

"Your concern has not gone unnoticed," Eries assured him, "but you really have nothing to worry about. Do not forget that I am more than able to secure my own happiness."

"I know that you are strong enough to face any challenge, princess," the knight replied honestly, "but please know that you will always have my support should you ever need it."

"I appreciate that," she answered, "and I beg you would stop looking so surprised at my decision."

"Forgive me, princess. I just did not expect you to agree to such an arrangement by your father."

"Is it so strange for a princess to do what is best for her country?"

"I did not mean to doubt your intentions for Asturia. It's just..."

At this the knight paused, trying to find the right words. Eries waited patiently.

"I just never thought that you, of all people, would choose such a future," he said carefully, hoping not to offend her and yet curious to see her reaction.

And much to his surprise, Eries merely smiled with some degree of amusement.

"Well, perhaps you simply don't know me as well as you think you do," she replied mysteriously, leaving the confounded knight alone to figure out such an enigmatic response.

On the day of the wedding, Allen Schezar made no more objections but simply performed his duty as well as he could. He was all that was proper and noble, an almost perfect Heavenly Knight.

He made the customary greeting of respect to Folken, who glanced at him knowingly before acknowledging the gesture. The Strategos seemed to know more about Allen than latter had expected.

The knight did not know what to make of the whole thing. On the outset, it seemed to be a marriage of political convenience. But both Folken and Eries' enigmatic behavior also made him sense that there was more to it. He just hoped that all was for the best.

All the necessary rituals were performed (and had to be endured by many a semi-bored and very hungry guest).Tradition had to be upheld and this was that the marriage was to seem everything that it was not. Or at least, everything that spectators thought the couple was incapable of.

--

Millerna was relieved to see Allen in attendance, although she could not speak with him during the ceremony.

She sighed as all the rituals were being duly enacted, wishing that the whole masquerade would end soon.

The younger princess tried to amuse herself by observing the small delegation from the groom's side but this only made her worry for her sister even more. The men from Zaibach were a grim company, all strangely and darkly attired, with stern faces and cold, calculating eyes.

Most of them, she had heard, were the top generals of the Empire's army and they were war-bred men, who also seemed to be bored by the ceremony. They all seemed to be scowling, and an air of danger hung about them (not just because their swords were ceremoniously dangling from their belts.) Millerna shivered at the sight.

But she despaired at their choice of clothing. Everyone in Zaibach, Folken not least of all, seemed to favor dark and dreary colors, devoid of light and, it seemed, of life as well. All of them seemed to be shrouded in shadow and sinister mystery and Millerna feared that even her strong and brave sister would be swallowed up by such darkness.

The men from Zaibach were truly unlike any foreigners she had ever encountered, and Millerna all of a sudden remembered Marlene's wedding and how different it had been. The Duke of Freid looked stern but also seemed like a warm and kind man. And his delegation had certainly been livelier.

Nevertheless, seeing the other representatives of Zaibach made Millerna change her initial impression of her sister's future husband. Lord Folken, high though his rank may have been, was still considerably younger than the other officials. And in spite of his grave demeanor, Millerna acknowledged that he was a lot easier on the eyes than the rest of his company. In fact, if he was only a little livelier, she thought, he would be handsome indeed.

She even went as far as to concede that Folken was better-looking than the Duke of Freid. That was probably one of the very few things Eries' marriage had over Marlene's.

Millerna shook her head to banish all such silly thoughts. She turned her face slightly to get a better view of the rest of the contingent when one of them immediately caught her eye.

It was a young man, younger even than Lord Folken, who was in full army regalia, but in contrast to the other officers, his armor was accented with red. He had the palest skin Millerna had ever seen and wore a diadem in his silver hair.

He had a beautiful face with an extremely bored expression as he folded his arms across his chest, looking exceedingly unimpressed with all that was going on before him.

In spite of his fierce expression, Millerna was fascinated by this young officer of Zaibach, the best looking of the guests so far, who also exuded an air of danger but that of a deadlier kind. She still dared to think of him as a kindred spirit, someone probably as young as she was who was likewise bored of the ceremony. His was a haughty and confident posture, imposing and inspiring. In spite of his youth, he seemed to command more fear and respect than any of the older veterans in that company.

She was surprised to see such a young man among the higher ranks of the Zaibach army. Millerna was inclined to think that his military record had to be impressive indeed for him to have been assigned to attend that prestigious event. He was clearly not a member of the guards and yet he did not seem to hold an equal position with Lord Folken.

Millerna was definitely intrigued by this unexpected discovery and she resolved to know more about the hauntingly beautiful officer of Zaibach as the event progressed. Doing so would at least give her some diversion from the overall gloominess of her sister's nuptials.

He seemed to sense that he was being observed and began to cast his gaze around, in search of the culprit. The moment his blazing crimson eyes met hers, Millerna turned away quickly, her face flushed, as if his mere gaze had burned into her face. No one had ever had an affect on her. She was both exhilarated and yet terrified.

Something warned her to tread very very carefully where that young man was concerned.

--

Dilandau Albatou was bored out of his skull and cursed Folken for forcing him to sit through such intolerable drudgery. It was all a damn tedious waste of his time.

And yet he had been coerced to attend because his guymelefs had been sent for repair and updating. He had no current mission and so had no excuse. He hated that.

He despised all that he saw in Asturia, finding the whole place an intolerable pretentious mess in contrast to the cold, no-nonsense halls of Zaibach's flying fortress. The palace was too ornate, full of unnecessary decorations.

The king and his ministers were a pompous crew, all fat, useless, manipulative politicians, with sharp eyes and greasy hair. Their clothes were puffy and ridiculous, and they wore far too many idiotic ornaments. And their customs were long, tedious, and absolutely unnecessary.

The women were also likewise ridiculously attired. And to exacerbate the situation, they were all so elaborately made up that he could not see any real faces before him. They were silly and coquettish as well, always trying to catch his eye, which only sickened him further. To him they were but stupid, useless creatures.

So far, the only sensible looking woman he had seen was Princess Eries herself, a calm and dignified lady whose regal air and composure seemed to equal those of Folken. Dilandau allowed himself to be thus diverted and the young captain also observed that perhaps Folken had at last met his match.

They suited each other, and Dilandau was curious about what that marriage would bring about. He suspected that there was so much more to it than even the whole elaborate masquerade had suggested. And he was eager to see how much trouble the couple would be able to endure.

But what irked the Zaibach captain most of all was a feeling he could not quite explain. There was something sickeningly (and almost painfully) familiar about Asturia that he could not put his finger on. As much as he despised it, some part of him also seemed to recognize some of these places although he could never remember ever having been to that country before.

Dilandau hated being bored and hated being confused. He wanted to be in control of everything, to defy all that dared stand in his way. But for the moment, he chose to exercise his limited capacity for self-restraint. In spite of everything, he was very interested in what that wedding would bring about.

For although he defied Folken's authority at every opportunity, Dilandau tolerated the Strategos' company more than any other high official from Zaibach. They had had their disagreements (so many) but Dilandau still preferred Folken's company to that of any of the other generals (especially General Adelphos).

And with this new addition to their company, Dilandau looked forward to having someone else to irk. The second princess of Asturia was unlike the other ladies in her company and seemed just as serious as her future husband. Dilandau could tell that she was not one to be trifled with (pretty much just as Folken was) and that he would not dare torture her too much.

What the Zaibach captain wanted to see, however, was how far Folken was willing to go for his wife. No one seemed to realize it but Dilandau had suspected from the very beginning that there was something between the couple.

Not any romantic love, no, he had not sensed any of that and if he had he would have been utterly disgusted. Besides, Dilandau did not think that Folken was capable of being so sentimental. Maybe an Asturian man would be prey to such weakness, but not the Strategos of Zaibach.

No, there was something else, something more unconventional. And Dilandau intended to find out as much as he could about it.

When he wasn't busy slaughtering his enemies, of course, a task he so longed to get back to. He sighed with exasperation and rolled his eyes as the rituals progressed. He suppressed an urge to yawn audibly, knowing that to breach diplomacy in such a way would only delay his re-acquisition of his weapons and his return to training.

For the time being, he would devise schemes of punishing Folken for making him sit through such a dreary event.

"You will pay for wasting my time this way," Dilandau thought sinisterly, his crimson eyes ablaze with purpose.

It was at that moment that the young captain sensed someone's eyes on him. He looked around and his gaze met with that of the younger princess of Asturia.

She turned away quickly, embarrassed at being thus discovered, and so did not see him scowl in disgust.

She was not hideous to be sure and a part of him was still flattered by such attention.

But Dilandau nevertheless hated being treated as an object of silly girls' romantic fantasies.

"Ch, how annoying," the young captain muttered to himself, wishing all the more for the wedding to end.

--

While it seemed that only King Aston and his conniving courtiers were enjoying themselves at the wedding, the bride and groom were more pleased with what was transpiring than the rest of the spectators expected.

Sure, they needed to put up a facade of utmost formality and gravity but inside they were amused at the proceedings. They were both at ease with one another, and were confident of relative happiness beyond that ceremony.

Folken and Eries still had their apprehensions but not those of Marlene and the Duke of Freid. Neither of them knew what their future together would bring, but they were both confident that they would be able to tolerate each other better than most couples whose marriages were arranged.

Eries wasn't sure that this was what the sorceress had in mind when she had told them that they might meet again. All the princess knew was that she and Folken were taking the future in their hands somewhat.

There would be opportunity enough for them to discuss their plans later on. They just had to endure the tedious rituals before they could at last be free.

When the moment came for the couple to kiss as was traditional, no one expected them to go through with it.

King Aston even told them that such a display was completely unnecessary since all the binding legal details had already been attended to.

"It's just a useless formality," the King said, "you can well do without it."

Eries looked at Folken, waiting for his reaction. She knew that her father's suggestion was just one of his attempts to gain Folken (and subsequently Zaibach's) favor. Aston did not want to impose on the stern Strategos.

That and he could not quite imagine what such a scene would be like. He was curious, to be sure, everyone else was.

But he was not going to risk Folken's displeasure.

Everyone waited for the Strategos' answer and he gave one that was not quite expected.

"There's no call for a tradition to be broken on my account," Lord Folken said simply, "if Princess Eries does not object, of course, we shall go through with it."

And then all eyes were turned with anticipation to the princess.

Eries gave a small nod.

"Lord Folken is all politeness," she replied formally, "it would be my honor."

Dilandau raised an eyebrow at this whole exchange.

"So much fuss over some kiss," he thought, rolling his eyes. But then, it seemed rather uncharacteristic of Folken to agree to such a thing, even if he had always been Zaibach's best diplomat. Dilandau had not imagined that the Strategos would have it in him.

It was a simple kiss. But then again, this was no ordinary couple.

Millerna had never seen a kiss so formally negotiated. And yet she was eager, as everyone else, to see it happen.

So it did, with very little fuss or awkwardness.

Folken and Eries brought their lips together almost effortlessly, the experience a familiar one. He held her hands as they kissed and when he leaned forward to deepen the kiss, Folken felt Eries squeeze his organic hand slightly, warning him to exercise restraint. He took her warning and ended the kiss immediately. There would be time enough for those things later.

King Aston was surprised by such a display. It almost seems sincere, he thought. And then he suddenly wondered exactly how well his daughter was acquainted with the Strategos of Zaibach.

But since the moment had ended quickly, no one said any more about it. After all, such gestures were customary at weddings, whoever the bride and groom may have been.

Eries looked at her husband approvingly. And a small compulsory cheer came from the small crowd, as the feast was about to begin. The alliance between the two countries had just been duly ratified.

Dilandau and Millerna had watched the scene with wide eyes, not knowing what to make of it. Only they had retained some suspicions even after the couple had kissed although the two younger people could not quite explain why they felt that way.

One thing was clear to them though: there was nothing ordinary about Folken and Eries' marriage.


	8. Chapter 7

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the delay in this chapter.

They might seem a little bit out of character. But I always believed that both Folken and Eries had a lighter side to them when they didn't have to face other people on official business. We've seen some of Folken's lighter sides but not really much of Eries'. So here's my take on that.

_Happy Valentine's Day! And Happy Chinese New Year as well! This is part of my epic post for the occasion! One-shots or chapters that go with the theme of Vday!_

It's a little descriptive but not too explicit, mind you. It is their wedding night, after all. (I've never really written scenes like this before so I apologize for the poor writing. I tried my best.)

Chapter Seven

Once safely in the privacy of their chamber, the newlyweds both heaved sighs of relief.

For the moment, at least, they could drop the masquerade. They soon realized, however, that they had each other to contend with. And though they had both convinced themselves that this time alone would not be awkward, they both looked away from each other uneasily, not quite knowing what to do next, and yet knowing _what _they would eventually have to do.

Folken and Eries, for all their talents in diplomacy and administration, were unsure of what to say to each other as husband and wife. It was as if they had just met.

Remembering how all this came together, Eries began to smile, amused at their sudden awkwardness. Seeing this, Folken felt immediately at ease.

"I suppose the first thing to do now is to have some formal introductions," Eries announced suddenly. Folken looked puzzled at this.

"Don't look at me like that, Folken Lacour de Fanel," she said knowingly.

He looked at her in astonishment and then realized what had just happened.

"Of course," he said with understanding, "we had not been allowed to tell each other our names in Aeaea."

For some strange reason, the sorceress who had been instrumental in bringing them together had forbidden disclosure of such vital information. She had explained her motives but neither Folken nor Eries understood these fully.

But every time they had attempted to say their names in that island, they found themselves unable to. They could not even tell each other where they had come from. Countries were clues that were too obvious, apparently.

So they could merely tell each other their stories in strange, general terms. She was the second princess of three, a middle child who was not considered as beautiful as her sisters but who was more devoted to her country, and more responsible in fulfilling her duties. She had once fancied herself in love with the same knight her older sister had a child with, but she was no longer certain of her heart.

He had been the heir to the throne of a kingdom of light and beauty. But an accident with a dragon during his test for kingship had made him lose an arm. He had been rescued and "repaired" by a strange emperor of a foreign land and he had worked for this man ever since, abandoning his old identity and seeking to build a new world somehow. And he had shown her his wings.

Words had been exchanged – many, many words, so many that it seemed that they had talked and listened to each other for days on end. They had both become privy to each other's deepest, darkest secrets. Every fear and uncertainty, every guilty pleasure.

Stories with no names.

But now that they had returned to their world, free from the island's enchantments, it wasn't so difficult to piece everything together.

Folken gave his wife credit for having done so. After all, how many countries in Gaea had a dragon-slaying ritual for the heir to the throne? And was it merely coincidence that the dead prince of Fanelia bore the same name as the Strategos of Zaibach? And how many princes were known to be of Draconian parentage?

It wasn't too hard to figure out. And Eries was an extremely intelligent woman.

"I see you've done your research," he praised her. He expected nothing less.

"Of course," she replied with a smile, "I like to know as much as I can about anything I get into."

"Naturally," he said with a nod.

He felt relieved. She knew the whole truth now, she knew that man he had become, and she had consented to marry him in spite of all this. He had underestimated the bond they had formed together in Aeaea.

"I am grateful," he said gravely, "that you agreed to all of this."

"Must you be so formal, my dear?" she asked him curiously, "we are husband and wife, you know."

He managed to return her look of amusement.

"Besides," she answered on a more somber note, "you know that not all we did in Aeaea was under the influence of that sorceress. The only thing she really did was bring us together and forbid us from uttering our names. But everything beyond that was our own choice."

"We should give the sorceress credit though," Folken replied, "had she not whisked us away from our lives and brought us together in that enchanted island, none of this might have happened. We would not have had the opportunity to know each other as well as we do now."

"Indeed," Eries agreed. For she realized the wonderful advantage of knowing so much of one's spouse prior to marriage, especially an arranged one.

She knew all his faults, and most of his secrets. And she accepted him nonetheless.

The same with him. He had been content with his solitude before, but he knew now that he would enjoy her company.

And both were somehow keenly aware that neither would ever hurt the other. And that was a great comfort.

She walked towards him, more confident now, much of their former familiarity now re-established.

He watched her intently as she gently reached up to hold his pale face in her hand.

"You do realize that we'll be stuck with each other for the rest of our lives," she said playfully, but with a very serious expression in her emerald eyes.

He closed his eyes and gave a small smile. He reached out and pulled her closer to him. She made no protest.

"Well, then," he replied, lowering his face to hers, "I suppose we will have to make the most of it."

Then, they kissed, as freely and passionately as they had been hindered to do earlier that day.

--

Soon, most of their initial doubts and hesitations fell away, along with the elaborate, ceremonial wedding garments. And this was one of those rare occasions where Folken showed his magnificent, white wings.

They stood before each other as they truly were and for a few moments, neither spouse said anything. Both were busy gazing at each other intently.

And though they had seen each other that way before, they couldn't help but feel slightly self-conscious.

Eries was dazzled by the sight of his wings, which never ceased to amaze her. A light seemed to surround him whenever he chose to bring them out which seemed to give him a gentleness reminiscent of the young prince of Fanelia.

She suddenly felt so plain and inadequate, standing before such an ethereal being. She bowed her head in embarrassment, her long golden hair falling across her face, her arms covering herself slightly.

"What's the matter?" Folken asked in concern, seeing her act thus.

"I'm so sorry," she said shyly, "to disappoint you."

His eyes widened incredulously at this and saw how embarrassed she felt about herself because he had said nothing. He had been too entranced.

He quickly resolved the misunderstanding however and assured her that she had absolutely no reason to feel that she disappointed him in any way.

"That's impossible," he said earnestly, "it's just…"

He searched for words to say, words that were unfamiliar on his lips but needed to be said nevertheless. She waited apprehensively.

"You're even more beautiful than I remember," he said quietly, much to her astonishment and pleasure.

Eries' eyes widened and her cheeks colored.

But it was now Folken's turn to feel self-conscious, looking uneasily at his metal arm and hating how monstrous it looked. He felt like a freak with his white wings and artificial limb while she was whole and unblemished, glowing like a goddess before him.

She sensed his sudden insecurity and moved quickly to reassure him. She did not shrink away from him.

Folken tensed with surprise as Eries took his metal hand and brought it gently to her lips. He stared at her incredulously as she did so without artifice or fear.

She reached out her hand to cup his face once more, holding his gaze. He could not look away.

"_You're even more beautiful than I remember," _he had said.

"So are you," she whispered. And it was his turn to be astonished. But no words were needed now.

She brought her lips to his and his arms went around her instinctively.

Their mouths clung together naturally. And her body seemed to melt into his.

Nothing stood between them anymore, so they succumbed to their hearts at last.

_They got into the familiar rhythm, and soon realized how much they had missed it. Both of them moving as one, not knowing where he ended and where she began._

_--_

He had never felt any desires or passions for a woman. He had seen many in his time but never showed any interest in them.

He had always clamped a lock on his emotions, never allowing them to overpower his judgment. His only focus was fulfilling the destiny of the empire. He had not known that his destiny may have had other things in store for him.

He had never imagined that there would come a time when he would be powerless to resist one person.

She had always ever stood in the shadow of her sisters, paling in comparison to them. Everyone else saw her as merely the cold, formal, intelligent but undesirable princess of Asturia who kept everything in order.

For the first time in her life, she was desired, wanted, needed... in the way that she had only dreamed of. And she felt happier than she thought she could ever be.

They both always kept their true feelings contained, constantly putting up fronts of coldness and composure. They were experts at concealing rage, sadness, and even joy. They would not allow anyone to take advantage of any of their weaknesses.

Too often had they seen others fall into such traps. So they were careful enough to be on their guard. It was more convenient this way.

But they figured that it was all right to let their armor fall off ever now and then. After all, it was impossible to live a life so suppressed.

And even if the rest of the future was so uncertain, they knew that they would have the comfort and refuge of nights such as this, when no one and nothing could intrude on the space they had created for themselves.

Neither one spoke of love, they both staunchly refused to mention it. They were too afraid of showing any more weakness than they already had.

They both believed that there was a great danger in acknowledging their relationship for what it truly was. And they were still afraid of accepting all the inconvenient consequences that followed such an admission.


	9. Chapter 8

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: Yes, I know. Atrocious delay. Forgive me. I was caught up in so many other things and stories. But fear not, I have completed my other tasks and am now devoted to finishing this story by October. I have worked out a schedule and you may expect a new chapter every week starting with this one!

In honor of Dilandau's birthday, here is a chapter devoted to my favorite pyromaniac! Enjoy.

Chapter Eight

"You don't have to worry about me," Eries reassured her husband, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

But Folken did not look completely convinced. As soon as their brief honeymoon was completed, it was time for him to formally introduce her to the officers and other citizens of Zaibach. This was a necessary though tedious task.

"I am well aware of your capabilities, my dear," he told her, "but I'm afraid that Zaibach society is quite different from yours. And now that you are a member of this world, there are certain things, certain people, whom I hope you can avoid."

One in particular, he added to himself. It will not do to introduce Eries to Dilandau just yet. The disturbing interest the young soldier had shown in Folken's marriage worried the superior officer and he could not be sure of what the mischievous young man would try to do to his wife.

"I will keep that in mind," she replied calmly, "and I'll adapt as well as I can."

Eries was strong, to be sure, but there was still so much she didn't know about the shadowy world of Zaibach. And for his part, Folken wanted to shield her from all the darkness as best as he could.

Eries' talent with diplomacy and dealing with those of high rank was a great asset when it came to blending in with the rest of the Zaibach officials. The princess carried herself with grace and dignity which none of the soldiers and officers could deny. She instantly inspired their respect and admiration, just as Folken had expected. He had known that she would easily be able to fit in with most of the people at the flying fortress.

Nevertheless, the Strategos could not help but worry about the inevitable introduction to Dilandau. It was an event he dreaded the most.

Unfortunately, Folken was not around when Eries and Dilandau first spoke to one another. And so the brave princess was left to fend for herself in the presence of the wily young captain.

This encounter happened a few weeks after Eries had begun living at the flying fortress. She had just finished an official meeting with some of the diplomats from Asturia and was returning to her quarters to spend a quiet afternoon by herself.

Dilandau had just finished a very invigorating session of training with his men and he was in high spirits. That was never a good sign.

They happened to meet each other along one of the cold, metal hallways of the fortress, and no one else was around.

Upon seeing the other, each stopped walking. Eries knew that it was only proper to give some sign of acknowledgment to him, since they had been introduced briefly during the wedding.

He also knew the protocols as well as the manners he was supposed to display. But more than anything, Dilandau was still curious about the wife of the Strategos, and he relished this opportunity to test her patience, just as he often did with her husband.

"Lord Dilandau," Eries said cordially, giving a slight bow.

"Lady Eries," Dilandau answered, returning the gesture.

Eries knew that she had to be very careful dealing with this young man. Folken had warned her about him and she knew that her husband was not prone to exaggeration.

For a few moments they stood in silence, staring at each other carefully. Dilandau was impertinently sizing her up and Eries felt that she was being circled by a vulture.

But she was not intimidated by him, and she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her perturbed. She remained calm and collected during this strange "inspection", patiently waiting for some sort of conversation to begin.

Dilandau was impressed with this reaction. Only a very few people could remain serene in his presence, and Folken was among them. And it seemed that his wife was another such rare individual. She carried herself with the dignity and gravitas befitting her rank, and there was an air of quiet but unquestionable authority about her.

But he was not yet content with just this.

"I hope that you have been enjoying your stay in Zaibach so far," he commented slyly.

"I have, thank you," she replied calmly and curtly.

"It certainly is a vastly different environment from what you have been used to," he observed, "haven't you had some difficulty adjusting?"

"I thank you for the concern but I have been all right so far. I'm very adaptable."

"Good for you. From what I hear, most other Asturian women are not as capable."

"Which shows just how little you know about Asturian women," Eries answered, unmoved by such words.

"Well, I can't be bothered to know much about Asturian women, or women in general," Dilandau answered arrogantly, "there are so many more important things to deal with."

"There you are mistaken, Lord Dilandau," Eries replied, "for the less you know about something, the more you are likely to be taken by surprise when it defies your expectations. And that, if I'm not mistaken, is something you must always avoid if you are to be victorious in battle."

Dilandau frowned at this keen observation although he was becoming more and more drawn into the conversation/debate. He usually never bothered extending a conversation.

"I've had victories enough on the battlefield to know what I am doing," he said smugly, folding his arms.

"But you will learn that some of the biggest battles are fought behind closed doors," she advised, "and however talented you are piloting guymelefs, you will still need to learn other skills if you are to win a war."

Again, he frowned but could not deny that he was impressed by such a quick response. Folken was apt to doing the same to him, and Dilandau would not admit it openly but he was glad to have found another verbal sparring partner in the confines of the Vione. After all, he always won in regular combat anyway, so he was always up for a challenge.

"Well, I leave such things to diplomats like Folken and yourself," the young man answered dismissively, "I am a soldier, and I stick to what I do best."

"A wise decision," Eries answered, suppressing the desire to smile.

Dilandau decided that he had wasted enough time on such a conversation, and that he had other more important tasks to accomplish. He took his leave of the princess and walked away, still maintaining his superior and confident gait.

"Send my regards to your husband, Lady Eries," the young man said, knowing full well how Folken had been worried about his meeting Eries, "and tell him that he has nothing to be afraid of. He will know what I mean."

Folken indeed would know that he had so much to be worried about.

"I shall do so," Eries said, and they parted ways without animosity.

Dilandau was still not quite sure about how to deal with Eries but he now knew that she was not a grave annoyance. There even seemed to be something familiar about her. His instincts said that she was to be trusted although he was not yet completely certain of this.

She could now understand why so many people were afraid of Dilandau. There was an intensity in those blood-red eyes and a sharpness to his wit that not everyone could contend with. Added to the fact, of course, that he was a ruthless warrior.

But Eries knew well that he was nothing but a spoiled, impertinent child who needed to be disciplined every now and then. She had had some experience with stubborn young children and she almost felt a parental urge to protect this one, peculiar though he may have been.

And she sensed that beneath that haughty exterior, he was hiding some very dark fears.

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A few days later, Eries encountered another high official of Zaibach, General Gein Adelphos. After the usual courtesies, they had a short conversation. Eries immediately saw where Dilandau had gotten his manners.

But she could also tell that the General was often at odds with his most talented subordinate. And yet, the old officer seemed to be even ruder towards Eries than Dilandau. He seemed to think that Eries' presence there was completely unnecessary and he did everything in his power to try and forward this point.

Eries, as usual, was unfazed and not intimidated by any of these foolish attempts to belittle her. And she looked the general in the eye whenever she replied to him, showing him that she was not to be trifled with.

Eries could see that he was a soldier through and through, and even more hardheaded and narrow-minded than Dilandau.

"War is no place for a woman, Lady Eries," Adelphos had said, "you would do well to remain in the safety of your palace walls and gardens."

"I am no stranger to war, General Adelphos," Eries had replied, "and you would be surprised to know how many wars have been waged within the walls of the palace."

"But not everything can be solved through diplomacy," he replied, "some matters can only be dealt with through force. That is unavoidable."

"While that is true," Eries said, "diplomacy has done more than violence, and at a lesser cost. Isn't diplomacy the reason why you are still alive today?"

"Hmmph," the old man huffed, clearly unimpressed with such a rebuttal, "you ought to know your place here, my lady. And once again, women have no business talking about war."

"With all due respect, General Adelphos," Eries replied politely, "I am well aware of my jurisdiction, and I advise you to remain in yours. We ought to just stick to what we are good at."

Adelphos raised his bushy eyebrows incredulously. How dare she speak to him in such a manner!

"What are you saying?" he said, almost livid with anger.

"There's no need to be angry," Eries answered calmly, "I was merely suggesting that you focus on military training and strategizing and you leave all the debates and negotiations to me."

And with that she took her leave of the speechless general.

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News of this little incident spread and eventually reached Dilandau, who always delighted in hearing embarrassing things about his superior. General Adelphos had wisely not commented on the matter since he did not want it generally known that he was bested by a woman in a verbal battle.

But Dilandau knew how much the general was irked and he reveled in the knowledge. It became perfectly clear to him that Lady Eries was a great addition to their small society on the flying fortress.

And when it became known in the Vione that Eries had gained the diabolical captain's favor, no one dared oppose her. She had already been respected by most as the spouse of Lord Folken, but now, she was also slightly feared.

Even General Adelphos did not dare harm her now. Dilandau may have been his subordinate but he was still someone not to be trifled with.

Eries herself had not been aware of the intrigue she had been causing until a few days later, when a young soldier had invited her to a small celebration that was to be held at Lord Dilandau's quarters.

Perplexed, she had followed the young man and entered a brightly lit room where several other soldiers had gathered. Each of these young men held a half-filled glass of vino but they were not drinking it. They seemed to be standing by for further instructions.

And on a throne flanked by the statue of a lion Dilandau sat, holding a glass of vino as well. The young captain was grinning madly and he seemed genuinely glad to see her.

"To what to I owe this honor, Lord Dilandau?" Eries asked, genuinely curious.

"Anyone who gets on General Adelphos' nerves is a friend of mine," Dilandau replied jubilantly.

Eries raised an eyebrow at this and was tempted to laugh. Dilandau gave an order to his squad and at once they all raised their glasses to her, toasting to her health and happiness.

"You really take too much upon yourself, Lord Dilandau," Eries answered but the captain was already busy downing his glass of wine and then pouring himself another.

One of the young soldiers approached her and gave her a glass of wine as well. She thanked him.

"What do you say, men?" Dilandau barked at the soldiers.

"Welcome to Zaibach, Lady Eries!" they all cried out in unison.

"Cheers!" Dilandau said, raising his glass.

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All this had transpired while Folken had been away on urgent business, sent by Emperor Dornkirk. When he returned, he was immediately informed that Eries had spoken with Dilandau.

Concerned for her safety, he immediately sought out his wife. But he found her, calm and content, waiting for him patiently.

When asked about her initial impressions of the young captain, Eries had smiled enigmatically. Folken could sense that there was a long story behind this.

"He was charming," she said amusedly.


	10. Chapter 9

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: As promised, here is my update. I shall be posting chapters as regularly as I can because I am determined to finish this story by October so that I can start posting another new story. I already have a backlog of potential Folken/Eries stories but I don't want to keep starting things I can't finish.

Chapter Nine

Another meeting which Folken was apprehensive of was that with the twins. Naria and Eria had not been able to attend the wedding (not that they had wanted to) and so they had not yet been introduced to Eries. Folken was well aware of their devotion and protectiveness of him and he was worried that their jealousy of Eries might have some dangerous consequences. Surprising though it may seem, he was more worried about the cat-girls than he had been about Dilandau.

So to prevent any unpleasant occurrences Folken made sure that he would be present during this momentous meeting. What had happened with Dilandau had been an extraordinary stroke of luck which would probably not be repeated with the twins. He had explained the situation to his wife and she bore the news with the same admirable composure and reason that she always had. She steeled herself for what might prove to be an extremely tense encounter and she hoped for the best.

But she had faith in her husband and knew that he would do his utmost to protect her.

On their way to the Vione, the cat-girls were busy speculating about the lady they were about to meet. They were eager to meet Folken's wife more out of curiosity than jealousy. So of course they had tried to learn as much about her as they could before actually seeing her face to face.

General opinion about the princess was favorable and her reputation in Asturia was impressive. She was nothing like her two sisters either in beauty or in talents, but she was beautiful in her own way. The cat-girls were relieved to hear that Eries was not the flirtatious type of woman they feared.

They had heard much about Lady Eries from the soldiers of Zaibach. Having questioned some, they found out that she was very much respected in both Asturia and in Zaibach (at least by those in the lower ranks). General Adelphos was not pleased with her at all but this was not an issue for the twins since they had a great dislike for the cantankerous old officer anyway. And it amused them that a woman had finally put him in his place.

Then, there was the issue of Dilandau's esteem for her. When they had learned about this, Naria and Eria were extremely surprised. There was not a lot of love between the twins and the fiery young captain but they knew him well enough to keep their distance. But they also knew that there were a very, very few people whom Dilandau deemed worthy of his respect. And if Eries was one of these then she must be impressive indeed.

And added to all this was the fact that Folken had chosen her himself. The twins were well aware that their beloved lord would not have accepted just anyone for his wife, no matter how politically advantageous the marriage would be. Above everything they trusted _his _judgment and were willing to give his wife the benefit of the doubt.

"I don't think she will be so bad, sister," Eria told her twin.

"I certainly hope so," Naria agreed, "for her sake."

So the momentous meeting came and Folken slightly nervously introduced his two charges to his wife. The three women greeted each other with utmost civility but Eries felt, just like she had with Dilandau, that they were eying her very carefully.

Unbeknownst to them all, Dilandau had decided to observe the introduction from a discreet corner. He was eager and amused to see the cat-girls' reaction to Eries and he wondered if they would try anything naughty in the presence of Folken. If anything happened, Dilandau would be more than willing to step in and join the fight. He would be going against the cat-girls, of course. It was always a thrill to spar with them.

Folken stood close by, observing them all, and hoping for the best. So far the cat-girls had not shown any hostility yet. He sincerely hoped their respect for him would overpower any jealousy they felt towards Eries. But he did not want to interfere unless it was absolutely necessary. He knew that if he showed more preference for Eries, it would only mean more trouble for her when he was not around.

But, as was her way, Eries bore everything with admirable composure. Again, she was being circled and sized up, this time by two extremely suspicious girls. But she would not be intimidated.

"It is an honor to finally meet you," she told them, "I have heard so much about you."

"So have we about you," Naria replied.

"My sister and I were very eager to meet you in person," Eria said sincerely.

"Well, I hope that we can be good friends," Eries said earnestly, "and if there is ever anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask."

The sisters were taken aback by such an offer. They had not expected such generosity but they could see that Eries was perfectly sincere. She did not expect the same loyalty and obedience from them as that they felt for Folken. But she wanted to be on good terms with them. And for some reason they could not describe, probably both female and feline intuition, they felt that she could be trusted.

Later on, when they would discuss the matter in private, Eria would comment that there was something comfortingly familiar about Lady Eries' ears.

"Thank you," they both replied politely, even as they struggled with what they would say or do next.

But they didn't want to be carried away by this strange first impression. They looked at each other, communicating silently in the way that only twins can do. They assessed the situation and they were exchanging their impressions.

"_Sister, do you think she can be trusted?" _Eria asked Naria silently.

"_I'm not sure," _Naria replied, _"I don't know what to think. But I know that I feel comfortable in her presence."_

"_Me too," _Eria answered, _"it's almost like how we feel when we're around Lord Folken."_

"_It's as if she could protect us too," _Naria continued her sister's train of thought.

Never had they felt so at ease with another person as they did now. And both sisters were beginning to see what had made even Dilandau learn to respect this strange and gentle lady. She was not physically strong like they were and had no training in battle. But she was strong, they saw it now, and she would be a valuable ally.

But they did not want to be caught off guard. They needed to test her somehow. So both began to think of how they would go about doing so.

Folken and Eries waited patiently as the cat-girls discussed among themselves how they would approach this new situation. Folken was relieved to see that they no longer seemed suspicious or jealous of Eries. But he would not yet risk their displeasure by showing too much affection to Eries at this moment.

Eries found herself relieved and again slightly amused by all that was taking place. Folken had recounted the history of the cat girls to her and she had immediately sympathized with them. And though she also knew the nature of their fondness for Folken, her curiosity to meet them overcame any apprehension she had. Besides, all she had to do was be herself. She knew that they would sense any form of deception anyway. As far as she felt, there was nothing to be afraid of.

The whole time, though, Eries felt that Zaibach was full of interesting and intriguing characters. And she was glad to be able to get to know even just a few of them. She had never met such dangerously fascinating people in Asturia, even when dealing with foreign dignitaries (Folken, of course, excluded.)

From where he was inconspicuously watching, Dilandau wondered what was going on in the wily minds of the twins. But he could already see that they had the same sense of ease and trust in Eries that he had acquired. Winning the cat girls over would be even more impressive to Dilandau because he knew how fiercely loyal and possessive they were of Folken. The silver haired captain grinned. It seemed that Lady Eries' arrival in Zaibach was making life a lot more interesting for them all.

Finally, the twins seemed to conclude their deliberations. They walked in a friendly gait towards their new acquaintance.

"There is just one little thing we want to ask you, Lady Eries," Naria announced.

"Go right ahead," Eries replied congenially.

"But it's only between us three women, if you don't mind, Lord Folken," Eria added, looking at the Strategos significantly.

Folken was surprised by this but he did not sense any danger. He smiled and bowed politely, deciding to give them their privacy. From where he was, Dilandau was wondering what the hell was going on.

The cat girls drew Eries close to them, almost in a huddle, and whispered just one important question.

"The only thing we really want to be certain of is this," Eria began.

"Do you love Lord Folken?" Naria asked earnestly.

"Yes, very much," Eries replied without the hint of hesitation but with the greatest conviction.

The cat girls observed her before looking at each other and nodding. There was no lie in Eries' eyes. She was being perfectly truthful, and they now felt that they could trust her fully. She had not disappointed them.

"Then, we shall be good friends, indeed," Eria told Eries with a grin. Eries returned the gesture.

When the three women turned back to Folken, they were all smiles and the Strategos sighed, as if a thorn had been plucked from his breast. Everything went better than expected.

"You really are something else," Dilandau muttered with satisfaction from where he was watching. But he was already growing bored and so left to do some more training with his guymelef.

After everything had been settled, Folken had to escort the cat-girls back to their training area. The twins bid farewell to their new friend and Eries wished them well.

Before leaving, however, Folken found a moment to commend his wife.

"You never cease to amaze me," he said with pride, "you are always exceeding expectations."

"Thank you," she replied with a smile, "although I do wish that you would raise your expectations a bit higher. I always enjoy a challenge."

Folken had laughed slightly at this and placed a quick kiss on her hand before leaving with the twins.

Several hours after they had departed, a messenger arrived on the Vione, looking for Lady Eries.

"What is it?" she asked him.

"Lady Eries," the herald told her, "King Aston and the Asturian Council are requesting your presence at a very crucial assembly."

Eries frowned as she listened to the details, most of which were sketchy at best. For all the cordial language, she knew well that she could not refuse this invitation. She wasn't being requested, she was being summoned.


	11. Chapter 10

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

Note: Sorry for the delay. The weekend was really hectic. But I'll try to get two chapters up this week somehow, to keep on schedule.

The next few chapters will be fun for me to write. I like this part of the story, though it may be a little controversial. It's mostly based on a scene from "The Other Boleyn Girl" and my own imagination of how Asturian politics might be like. Sorry if it seems long drawn-out and repetitive. That's what crappy bureaucracy and corrupt politics is like, from my experience. It must be worse, I think, for women (even royalty) in the patriarchal society of Asturia.

Chapter Ten

"So good of you to attend this meeting on such short notice," King Aston told his daughter.

"It is not within my power to refuse an official summons," Eries replied calmly.

She was wary of what the gathering was about and she was determined not to be outwitted by her father. She knew that this would be more of an interrogation than anything.

Why else would she be standing alone in the center of the council room, surrounded by all the stern, serious Asturian council members, among them that slimy merchant, Meiden Fassa? This was a trap, she was sure of it, but she would not allow herself to be lured in. She would give them no such satisfaction.

"I trust that your stay in Zaibach so far has been agreeable," the king continued, ignoring her severe tone.

"Very agreeable, thank you," she answered curtly.

"And I hope that you have been adjusting well to being married," Aston continued in a slightly amused tone.

"Well enough," she answered, her suspicion rising. Now she had an inkling of what they were to talk to her about and she did not quite like their tone.

"I beg you would speak plainly, your Highness," Eries then added, addressing her father formally to emphasize her tone, "I am certain that you did not summon me before this assembly only to exchange such inane pleasantries."

Eries narrowed her eyes. She was in no mood for any of her father's games. She had wanted to make this perfectly clear.

There were some gasps of surprise at such audacity but Aston was not at all put off. He even smiled with satisfaction.

"I knew that you were not one to mince words, my dear," the king replied proudly, "and indeed you have not disappointed me. After all, we have really called you here to discuss a very serious matter."

"My marriage," she surmised aloud.

"Precisely," the king replied, "you have been involved in political affairs before. You must know how important such alliances are for the success and progress of a nation."

"Well aware," Eries answered formally, "and as you know, I entered into this marriage with full knowledge of the benefits it will bring to Asturia."

"Very admirable of you, my dear," the king told her in a patronizing tone which she recognized and which put her on her guard, "but your duty does not stop there, surely you know this?"

She narrowed her eyes and knew that she would have to be very, very careful with what she said from this point on.

"I know that I am to always behave in the manner befitting my rank and position," she said, almost as if reciting a well-learned lesson, "and that I am to do everything in my power to do honor to my country and my husband."

The men around her nodded approvingly but there were still whispers among them. This was clearly not all that they had summoned her for.

There was something else, she was sure of it. What did they want to know?

"Very good, Eries," the king said, "but there are certain more particular matters which we want to inquire about today, some rather intimate details, I'm afraid."

"What do you mean?" Eries asked warily.

She was really growing more and more anxious as she stood there, under their scrutiny, like a bird in a cage, taunted by the monsters beyond the bars. They were there to pry into her private life, and she did not care for it at all.

"Well, since you know that your marriage with Lord Folken can be taken as an international alliance," Meiden Fassa deigned to explain, "we need to know if it has been _accomplished_ accordingly."

Eries raised her eyebrow at this and suppressed the urge to look scandalized. She would not show them her discomfiture. She knew exactly what they were alluding to and she was shocked that they would even ask this of her, and in such a public and humiliating manner as well.

"I don't see why you need any confirmation of such a fact," she answered cautiously, keeping her temper in check, "it is no secret that I have been living with my husband for several weeks now. Why should any of you doubt that we have not been behaving accordingly?"

"Pray, do not be offended by our questions, Princess," the merchant continued, voicing the concern of the rest of the council members, "but official matters have to be treated with certainty and delicacy."

"I see no delicacy in inquiring so blatantly about my private life," Eries could not help but retort.

"But you relinquished any claims as a private citizen when you accepted your duty as a princess of this nation," her father reminded her, "You can have no secrets from us."

Eries frowned as she looked at the assembly of sinister old men. Though they used the guise of "official business", she could see straight through them and into their filthy thoughts. She now knew that they all wanted certain details, not for any political necessity, but to satisfy some sick curiosity.

"Again I must reiterate that your marriage is an international alliance before anything else," one of the council men declared, "and we have called you here to make sure that you, as a representative of Asturia, have performed your duty accordingly."

"I assure you," she answered with as much composure as she could muster, "that I did not disgrace neither myself nor Asturia."

There were some murmurs among the council members. But the princess, still under their scrutiny, could see that they wanted a more detailed account from her. She refused to give it. It was not for nothing that she was skilled in the language of diplomacy.

"Well then," the king continued, "how many times has your marriage been consummated?"

Eries' eyes widened in shock and she could not answer for the next few moments, so appalled was she by such a question, and asked in public, no less. But the council was waiting eagerly for her answer and she was doing her best to suppress her indignation.

She clenched her fists at her sides and struggled to maintain a neutral expression on her face. But she could not help but color at the thought of the details demanded of her.

"Do not look so concerned, Princess," another council member said, "but you must answer the question."

She was about to argue that such intimate details about her life were none of their business, that they had no right to question her so vulgarly but she already anticipated the rebuttal to this. This ridiculous notion that she was not entitled to a private life.

She remained silent, pondering on the question for a few moments while the king and his council men waited slyly for her answer. But they were not willing to wait for too long.

"Well, Princess?" an impatient member cried out, "answer the question."

"How many times have you consummated your marriage?" someone felt the need to repeat the question.

Clenching her fist tightly, Eries steeled herself and raised her head proudly, meeting her father's gaze without flinching.

"I don't know," she replied calmly (and almost in a challenging way), "I've lost count."

It was their turn to be surprised and appalled. Hypocritical gasps and murmurs now filled the assembly room as the men sanctimoniously tried to act like she was acting improperly.

Eries was not smiling but she was satisfied by their reactions. She knew that they had not expected such a response and now they knew that she was not about to play this game their way.

"How daring!"

"Exceedingly improper!"

"Shameless girl!"

These and other similar exclamations were exchanged by the frowning council members as they processed her answer. King Aston was frowning disapprovingly at his daughter but she met his gaze calmly.

"Do not make a mockery of this inquisition, Eries," he told her sternly.

"So at last you are revealing the true nature of this assembly," Eries thought silently.

"Indeed I am not, your Highness," she answered serenely, "I was asked a question and I simply gave my honest answer."

Again murmurs of disapprobation, shaking of heads, and some not-so-subtle expressions of interest.

But many of them still looked at her incredulously. Even with such an audacious reply, they were not satisfied.

"That declaration will not suffice," Meiden Fassa declared, "perhaps this situation calls for more proof."

"Perhaps a physical examination or something like that," another council member suggested, eliciting nods of approval from the rest.

No one objected to this except for Eries herself.

Again, Eries looked shocked and appalled by this suggestion. It seemed like the longer she stood there, the more perverse every question became. She felt anger well up within her and she was really using up all her powers of self-restraint to keep from storming out of that assembly hall.

"I beg your pardon, my lords," she addressed them, "but are not my own honest confessions sufficient evidence of the validity of my marriage? Do you not give any value to my sworn statements?"

"We are all aware of your unwavering integrity in all matters, Eries," King Aston said, "but these very important affairs of state really must be investigated thoroughly."

Eries frowned. "Thoroughly" was yet another word used to disguise their perversions. She shuddered at the thought and struggled for some stern objection, for some argument to make them see reason, for some way to end this excruciating interrogation.

And then, she remembered something. There was a flaw in this 'logic', if it was even to be called that.

"You needn't be agitated about anything," Fassa tried to reassure her, "this is nothing but standard procedure."

"If I recall correctly," Eries told them, "my sister Marlene was never subjected to such a _thorough _and technical inquisition upon her marriage to the Duke of Freid. It seems that this 'standard procedure', as you call it, is only applicable to me. Now, why is that so?"

There was an uneasy silence in the room and many of them did not know how to react to this question. They all knew the answer, Eries could see that, but they were afraid of admitting their mistake, their distorted justification for questioning her.

"You are right about that," Aston had to concede, "but we never needed to confirm anything with Marlene. The Duke's attachment and affection for her was clear, and in a short time, their union already bore fruit."

Ironic, Eries thought, considering the true parentage of Prince Chid. But she wasn't going to raise _that _delicate issue here. She knew how to keep secrets.

"You cannot use that against me," she answered boldly, "for I have not yet been married as long Marlene was when it was discovered that she was with child."

None of them could argue against that.

"And as for the matter of _my _husband's showing any fondness for me," she continued, "you seem to be convinced that there is only one way of expressing emotions. But you know that that is not so. And you cannot fault Lord Folken for not being as openly sentimental as the Duke of Freid. That would be doing both of us a disservice."

More murmurs and discussions were made among the council members.

Eries knew why they had not questioned Marlene this way. It was something she had become accustomed to while growing up. Marlene was pretty in a way that was loved by most men. And she was of a charm and disposition that had attracted many suitors.

There was no doubt that whoever Marlene married would love and cherish her as a wife immediately.

But Eries was different, and it did not really help her case that Folken was like her. They were both so serious and formal, rarely showing any emotions. So everyone else believed them incapable of passion.

Eries could understand why the Asturian Council doubted that there was any attraction between them. Nevertheless, she could not forgive them for this farcical inquiry into her private life.

"Both my reputation and that of my husband are unquestionable," she declared, "and we have always fulfilled all the responsibilities that come with our positions. You can have no reason to demand any more of me than my word of honor. To do so would be an affront not only to myself, but also to my husband. And consequently, to the Zaibach Empire as well. To risk such an important ally's displeasure is hardly a wise decision."

These words left them all speechless, and Eries folded her arms in satisfaction. She had turned their words on them and had maintained her dignity. They had no power over her, and she had wanted to show them this.

But even with this victory, she now better appreciated her new life in Zaibach. Because however foreboding and dangerous the people there were, they were honest and straightforward about their desires, unlike the perverse, hypocritical buffoons who filled the seats of the Asturian council.


	12. Chapter 11

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: Thanks for the reviews, windwraith and Ron and his Sakura. I don't have enough time yet to properly respond to all individual reviews but please just know that all your feedback is greatly appreciated.

The "trial" is by no means over but someone arrives in the nick of time to spice things up a bit. I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter Eleven

"Remind me again why you dragged me down here," a sulky young captain complained to the Strategos as the two Zaibach officials entered one of the halls of the Asturian royal palace.

"Because you need a change of environment, being constantly cooped up in the Vione," Folken replied coolly, "and you need to be more exposed to society outside of Zaibach, so that you can gain more knowledge of the world."

"Hmmph," Dilandau said arrogantly, "I think I know enough of the world to survive successfully. You ought to say that you just wanted someone to accompany you to some boring council or other. Why you would need my company is beyond me?"

"You may be right," Folken conceded, "but you have to admit that however reluctant you were to come along, you were bored enough to agree anyway."

"Hmmph," Dilandau scoffed, unwilling to admit that Folken was right.

Folken ignored the petulant tone of the younger man and retained his calm and composed stance as they walked. No, he was concerned with matters more important than Dilandau Albatou's inclinations. But the Strategos felt slightly relieved to have the young man by his side. For some reason, Folken believed that this visit required that he have some reinforcements, no matter how potentially dangerous.

What business did they have in Asturia, really? It was easy enough to say that they had dropped by on the pretext of picking some important documents or other, but Folken knew that his real motive for going through all the trouble was to reclaim his wife.

When he had returned to the Vione after escorting the cat-girls home, he was informed of the summons Eries had received. Even then, he had had his suspicions. He knew well how Asturian politics worked, and more importantly, he knew how male politicians thought. And though he knew how strong Eries was, he refused to let her face the council of hypocritical, ignoble fools by herself.

He felt that it was his duty to take her away from all that. But he breathed not a word of his intentions to anyone, especially Dilandau.

The young man, however, was perceptive enough to have suspicions. And because of his own inexplicable fondness for Eries (and a slight protective instinct as well), he had agreed to come along. He hated politics with a passion and he relished every opportunity to cause trouble.

Folken quickened his pace down the hall. He knew where the assembly was being held and he had a general idea of what was being discussed. Fortunately, Emperor Dornkirk did not have a lot of new orders and plans that needed immediate execution. Folken could afford to make this little side trip.

No, it was not little at all. He wanted to protect Eries, and that was of great importance.

He knew how long it had been since she had been summoned and he knew how long official meetings usually lasted. Something was amuck and he needed to hurry. He shuddered to think of the mortification Eries would have to endure.

Seeing the agitation that Folken was trying so hard to conceal, Dilandau frowned. It was more serious than he had supposed. Instinctively, the captain placed his hand on the sword at his side. He was ready, for anything.

They reached the venue and found that they were not the only ones eager to enter. The two men approached and saw Princess Millerna arguing with the guards outside the door.

It seemed like she was being refused entrance.

"I don't see what business father has to keep my sister in there for so long," Millerna protested, "please, you must let me in."

For some reason, perhaps female intuition, Millerna was worried about her sister and she was now insistent that she be allowed to attend the meeting. But the guards were trained well and now respectfully refused her.

Millerna was distracted by the arrival of two men. She turned and was surprised to see her brother-in-law greeting her cordially. She returned the courtesy. She did not need to tell him where his wife was.

"Good day to you, princess," Folken said politely, "I hope you are well."

"I am, thank you," she answered. She could already see that he had come here for her sister, and she was grateful that he was turning out to be a better husband than she had ever expected.

But her eyes were soon drawn powerfully towards his companion, and she could not help but stare.

It was him, the handsome but fierce young captain from Eries' wedding.

This meeting was so unexpected that Millerna found herself at a loss for words and slightly embarrassed at being caught acting so foolishly.

She explained to Folken her concern about her sister and about the meeting and admitted abashedly that she did not have enough authority to demand that the soldiers allow her to attend.

Dilandau caught the young princess staring at him and could not repress a frown. He so hated being looked like that by others, especially women. It made him even more irritable and he was already using what powers of self-restraint he had to keep from making some nasty remark or other.

What the hell was she looking at him like that for anyway?

Folken had gotten a clearer idea of the situation from the princess' insistence and worry. He was even more determined to see Eries out of this unpleasantness. But even in his agitation, the dignified Strategos never forgot his manners.

He quickly introduced Dilandau properly to the princess.

"Princess Millerna, may I present Lord Dilandau Albatou," Folken said cordially.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," the princess said politely.

Millerna made a timid curtsy and after a nudge from Folken, Dilandau gave a slight bow of acknowledgment.

"The pleasure is mine," Dilandau uttered the expected response, though it was clear that he took no pleasure at all in it. Millerna didn't seem to notice.

Catching the way Millerna was looking at Dilandau, however, Folken was slightly worried. But he was certain that the young captain would not give the poor girl any hint of encouragement. He shook his head. Now was not the time to worry over speculations.

Folken gestured to the closed double doors and Millerna shook her head.

"I'm afraid even I wasn't able to gain admittance," she said sadly, "father seems determined to keep this meeting exclusive, though I don't understand why."

"I do," Folken thought silently.

He walked up to one of the guards. Immediately, they were at attention and crossed their spears in front of the door.

"I'm sorry, sir," the guard said respectfully, "but we cannot allow you to enter. We are under strict orders from the king not to admit anyone else in."

"Hmmph," Dilandau said scornfully, "maybe they need a little convincing."

He was just about to draw his sword when Folken stopped him and gave him a warning look. But the two guards grew more alert.

Millerna regarded this whole exchange with interest. Such a violent and reckless thing to do. She had never met such a dangerously impulsive person. So she was even more fascinated with the crimson-eyed soldier. She was also curious as to what method Folken would employ to gain admittance.

Turning once more to the guards, Folken stood to his full height, his dark cloak secured around him, and a shadow falling upon the faces of the guards. He could be a very imposing figure when he chose to and now he was using this to his advantage.

"I have every right to enter this assembly," he said in a calm but subtly menacing tone, "for I am the chief ambassador of the Zaibach Empire as well as the husband of Princess Eries. I am certain that King Aston would have no objection to my entering."

He said it in a tone that they could not possibly refuse. It was no request, it was a statement of fact.

The two guards looked nervously at each other, each debating on what to do. But turning their gaze from the stern figure of the Strategos to the smoldering blood-red eyes of the fierce captain who still had his hand on the hilt of his sword, they gulped and stood aside.

Millerna was amazed by this show of diplomatic coercion and waited to see what would come of it. But she grew more nervous when she realized that only Folken would be going in and that she would be left alone with Dilandau.

The latter, for his part, paid no heed to the princess and was eagerly waiting for what trouble Folken would stir up with his unexpected arrival. He had never seen Folken use intimidation to break the rules before and he was curious about the results of this.

00000000000000

Suddenly, the great double doors were opened and all eyes of the council were turned to the unexpected intruder on the assembly. Gasps and exclamations echoed across the hall when slowly but resolutely, Strategos Folken walked in.

Eries, from her position at the center of the room, stared in surprise at her husband, and did not know how to react.

For his part, Folken took a sweeping glance of the assembly and instantly knew what it was about. He saw with indignation that Eries had been forced to stand in the center, like a common criminal being tried for heinous transgressions. She was staring at him now and he met her surprised gaze.

As usual, she stood calmly and dignified but he knew her well enough to see that she was extremely upset. Her lips were pursed in suppressed anger (no doubt at her father and the rest of the council) and he could see that her fists were clenched at her sides.

He narrowed his eyes at the men surrounding her, and he was determined to save her from their brutishness. He made his way towards her decisively.

There were whispers of protest echoing in the hall but no one dared voice their opinions too loud. Folken had a stern expression on his face that showed that he would brook no arguments from them.

And they were all still nervous from Eries' assertion that they ought not anger her husband and risk Zaibach's retaliation.

Recovering from the shock first, King Aston spoke.

"Lord Folken," the king said, in a slightly agitated tone, "we did not expect to see you here."

"Indeed, I was not summoned to this assembly," Folken replied calmly, his gaze never leaving Eries.

Her eyes were asking him, "What are you doing here?" But she was grateful for his arrival, and even slightly amused by it.

"It was not necessary to call you," the king explained, fumbling for an excuse and not daring to reprimand the diplomat for unsolicited interference, "there were certain matters I needed to discuss with Eries alone."

"I perfectly comprehend that," Folken answered, struggling to remain diplomatic even when Eries still looked so upset, "but Princess Eries has already been here for several hours, surely you have concluded all the necessary discussions."

The king said something noncommittal in affirmation and there were more mutterings from the council members.

"I am not ignorant of the kind of issues you must have discussed with her today," Folken said sternly, "and I'm certain that she has given more than adequate answers to any questions you might have asked."

Again, the king muttered something in reply, with the other council members mumbling more in assent. Folken wasn't really interested.

"In any case, I am aware that my presence here is unnecessary," Folken announced, "but I have come here to escort my wife back to Zaibach."

He was now at Eries side and she was still staring at him with utter astonishment. King Aston and the other council members were now busy bombarding Folken with speeches and excuses, all of which the couple ignored. With his good hand, Folken took one of Eries' and felt her fist unclench and her fingers intertwine with his.

"I didn't need to be rescued," Eries whispered stubbornly, and then gently, "but thank you."

"I needed to see you," Folken whispered back, "I couldn't let them keep you here."

"Don't worry," she replied with a small smile, "I was just about to storm out of here anyway."

"There were just certain pressing issues about your marriage that we needed the princess to verify," Meiden Fassa was saying.

Folken looked at Eries and she rolled her eyes at him. He fought the urge to laugh. They were surrounded by colossal fools.

And then, something mischievous occurred to Folken at that very moment. It was preposterous and yet he wanted to do it, if only to spite all the hypocritical old men in that room.

He was sure that Eries would cooperate for she was already looking at him with an expression that said, "What are you planning?"

"Trust me," the look in his eyes replied. She nodded silently.

"Well then," he announced, "I hope that this dispels all your doubts."

And without a word, he pulled his wife close and leaned in. Eries' eyes widened in surprise as she felt his lips press against hers but she smiled, realizing his purpose, and returned the kiss with equal ardor.

Of course, horrified gasps filled the room. Eyes grew wide and jaws were dropped. And for the next few moments, the Asturian council was at a loss as to how they could react to such an unexpected display.

"Preposterous!"

"Utterly insupportable!"

"Exceedingly improper!"

The couple broke away reluctantly and smiled at each other conspiratorially before facing their audience with greater confidence and no trace of regret. In fact, Folken and Eries dared them all to disapprove.

"I don't see anything improper about a husband showing affection for his wife," Folken commented candidly.

Eries said nothing but she was beaming with pride. Incredulity was written on the faces of King Aston and all the other council men.

"Well, we shall not be detained here any longer," the Strategos announced with a small bow, "good day, gentlemen, we take our leave."

The great double doors were opened to reveal an impatient Dilandau and inquisitive Millerna watching and waiting for the pair.

Folken offered his arm to Eries, and she took it. Husband and wife exited the hall triumphantly, leaving the council speechless in utter astonishment.


	13. Chapter 12

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: A light moment between the happy couple.

Chapter Twelve

"I'm sorry that you had to endure such an awkward and unpleasant episode today," Folken told his wife that night, once they were safely and comfortably back in their quarters on the floating fortress, "I believe my own reputation for being cold and unfeeling has had something to do with their disbelief. Such mortification that you had to go through on my account. I am sorry."

Eries gave a soft laugh at this and put a hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Do not take all the blame for all of it, my dear," she said, "because my own reputation for indifference surely contributed to their mistaken but not wholly unfounded assumptions. I can easily understand why they thought our marriage had not yet been consummated."

Folken gave a small smile in spite of himself, remembering the preposterous way the ministers of the Asturian court had questioned his wife. He had been angry at them at first but decided against remaining so. No serious damage had been done so there was no point in nurturing a grudge.

Eries had already convinced him to let the event pass without further controversy. It was not worth getting angry or agitated about. In fact, upon looking back, the matter was not only trivial, but also darkly amusing to the usually very serious couple.

"They believe that we are incapable of feeling any desires or passions," he said with some amusement, "that we are somewhat either beyond such human weaknesses or less than human for not feeling anything at all. It largely depends on how you look at it."

"That's rather uncharitable of them, don't you think?" Eries replied with an expression of mock offense.

"Indeed, it is," Folken agreed coolly, "but it is hardly surprising, considering the narrowness of their minds."

"I've met so many of these hypocrites, I can hardly tell one from another," Eries observed almost bitterly but with biting sarcasm.

"It becomes quite a struggle to do so, after a while," Folken added, exchanging a significant glance with his wife.

"But then again, it also shows how effective we are in playing the roles given to us, don't you think?" Eries replied with a smile, likewise amused at the direction their conversation was going towards.

Only they could make light of such circumstances because they knew that without approaching the situation with some sense of humor (which many mistakenly believed they lacked), they would both go mad. Or become as cold and unfeeling as they appeared to be.

No one could know that behind closed doors, the outwardly stoic and serious couple could enjoy a laugh or two at the expense of the idiots they had to deal with during the day. It was an unspoken comfort to each that they were able to share such pleasantries together.

"Indeed it does us some credit, I think," Folken agreed and then added on a slightly graver note, "and more often than not keeping up such appearances is necessary."

Seeing his serious expression, Eries became grave as well but took his metal hand affectionately. She understood him well. They understood each other well.

He looked at her with slight surprise and gratitude. Only one person had such an effect on him although he did not often readily show it, even to her.

"One can hardly blame them for misunderstanding the matter," the Strategos commented, some of his lightheartedness returning at the gesture of his wife, "after all, we do give rather misleading impressions, don't we?"

She smiled at him, her emerald eyes shining.

"Which makes it all the more entertaining to debunk their beliefs about us," Eries remarked with diversion dancing in her eyes, glancing at her husband conspiratorially.

Folken colored slightly at the allusion and could not help but smile at his wife's obvious satisfaction at the outcome. He had not expected to be so bold, and it was one of the few times his move was not quite calculated.

No doubt the Generals of Zaibach would snicker behind his back in the coming months. And he could think of at least one captain who would never let him live it down. He cringed at the thought of all he would have to endure and yet something still told him that he had no real regrets about it. Reputation be damned!

"I believe the Asturian court has not witnessed a scandal of such scale for quite some time," Eries continued with a cheerfulness that she rarely ever displayed, even to her sister, "and I daresay we shall be the subject of much gossip and speculation for weeks or months to come. I would dare even that cad, Allen Schezar, to come up with something more controversial."

At this, she allowed a soft but almost girly giggle to emerge from her throat although she quickly covered up the slight outburst.

So far, only Folken had been privy to such rare moments, and he felt privileged to be allowed to see this lighter side of the usually serious princess.

And it was only she who could bring out his own long-hidden and rarely-expressed playfulness.

"Thank you for taking it so well," he replied candidly.

"Of course," she answered gaily, "very few things have given me more pleasure. And you managed to turn an annoyingly embarrassing event into a triumphant one. Very well-played, my dear husband, I am quite proud of you."

He merely nodded and said nothing but a rather playful idea occurred to him at that moment, and this was a rare occurrence indeed for Strategos Folken of Zaibach. It was more reminiscent of Prince Folken Fanel.

He pulled Eries closer until she was in his arms. She looked at him with some surprise although her eyes twinkled with excitement and comprehension of his intentions.

"Well, my dear," Folken began mischievously, moving his face closer to hers, "would you care to prove them wrong once more?"

"With pleasure," Eries replied gamely, pulling her husband into a deep and passionate kiss.

Later that night, as Folken gazed at his wife's sleeping figure, he realized something painfully important.

His eyes went wide for a few moments as he allowed the truth to sink in and he pondered for a while on how much he was ready to reveal. Nevertheless, something needed to be said.

"I love you," he whispered as softly as he could to her, half hoping she wouldn't hear.

If she had, she made no sign of it, and somehow, he felt grateful and relieved. It would not do for her to know of it now.

It was the first time he had ever said it though he now realized that he had been demonstrating for a long time already.

He was not sure of where to proceed from there though, of how he would deal with any response from her. Their situation was not as simple as some supposed. Nothing was certain.

It was funny when one considered it, a husband telling his wife that he loved her. It was almost unnecessary.

But he felt that it needed to be said. Although he didn't know what he would do after saying it. There were some dangers attached to this precious confession, serious risks he needed to take into account.

He lay back on the bed and clutched his forehead with his organic hand. The Strategos was once again plunged deep in thought.

"How am I ever going to sort this one out?" he asked himself silently.

Because this latest admission, and all the complications that came attached to it, scared him more than anything ever had.

He would have never imagined himself capable of loving this way, not after what happened all those years ago. He had believed his heart had long dried up.

He had never expected this.

That he loved her (and that he always had) he was absolutely sure of now.

Whether it was safe to do so was another matter.


	14. Chapter 13

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: I'm glad you all liked the last few chapters. Since those were relatively light-hearted, a more serious chapter is called for. And this is it. After all, Zaibach isn't in the business of happiness and humor. And this one is a bit cheesy as well, I have to warn you. Please don't' cringe so much while you read this.

Hope you aren't bored by this little thing and thank you for your continuous support.

Chapter Thirteen

After the incident at Palas, things went smoothly for the couple in Zaibach and life settled into a strange peace.

King Aston and his court no longer bothered his second daughter for details about her marriage. And General Adelphos and the other officials of Zaibach decided not to stir any trouble with the wife of the Strategos. So Eries' position was secure and the rest of her days were relatively quiet and stable.

But as expected, Folken was continuously teased by Dilandau about the little scene he had made in the Asturian court. Only the young captain, however, had the audacity to do so.

The higher officials and generals dared not insult the Strategos to his face but Folken was well aware that they all had many a laugh at his expense when they thought he could not hear them. He paid them no mind. Let them enjoy the joke because he still had no regrets about his actions. For all their snickering, they still had nothing to take against him.

Besides, after that incident, the work piled up for both spouses and they were soon too busy tending to their duties to spend any time on idleness and humor. Soon, even Dilandau had no time to tease them as he was preoccupied with his combat training and testing out the new models of Alseides. An air of hustle-bustle filled the floating fortress as preparations were being made for Emperor Dornkirk's sublime plan. The glorious future he had predicted was just within reach.

Naturally, Eries had to be involved in the work as well since she was also a member of the Zaibach Empire. And for her part, she enjoyed the new experiences she was acquiring as a member of the diplomatic corps. She was tasked to help in negotiations with Asturia and the other allies of Zaibach. There were new norms and protocols to learn as she continued her work but she was not averse to gaining more knowledge. And the lady was also growing more curious about her husband's line of work and the interesting individuals who comprised the relatively new empire.

The unique episode at the Asturian council was soon forgotten and set aside when the couple proved that they had done nothing to damage their reputations as hard and efficient workers. They accomplished all their duties accordingly and promptly and their superiors could not complain about results.

Eries had been formally introduced to Emperor Dornkirk only once and it was not even in person. Like many other citizens of Zaibach, the most she was able to see of the aged leader was his face on a large screen. He had spoken in a very formal tone to her and she had paid her respects. She already noticed how learned he must be and how much he seemed to know about Gaea.

But she was still slightly unnerved by the figure on the screen with the suspicious raspy voice and long hair and beard. Not a lot was known about the Emperor outside of Zaibach and Eries had hoped that she would be able to unlock some of the mysteries about Dornkirk now that she was a member of Zaibach society.

Unfortunately, very few were truly taken into the Emperor's counsel and even some Zaibach officials had never even spoken to the Emperor in person. Eries considered questioning Folken about it but when she saw how busy he was with the tasks given by the leader, she decided to defer her inquiries to a more convenient time.

In her spare moments, Eries would often write to her sister, telling Millerna of the latest developments in her life, and inquiring after the latter. After that brief meeting in Palas (right after the 'scandal' in court), Eries had not been given the opportunity to see her sister again. But she was careful (as expected) in her letters about mentioning her doubts and suspicions about the shady dealings of Zaibach.

Eries had no proof but she was certain that her correspondence was being monitored and she was cautious enough not to give away crucial information about political matters in her personal letters. She would limit her stories to some interesting observations about Zaibach culture, and a thing or two about unique characters (such as Dilandau). And, of course, she would often go into detail about the merits of her dear husband, also a way to reassure Millerna that all was well with her.

Millerna was only too glad to receive letters from her sister and ironically, they seemed to communicate more frequently than they did when Eries was still in the palace. The younger princess enjoyed reading Eries' accounts of life in Zaibach and she was relieved to learn that Eries was doing well. It came as no surprise to Millerna that her older sister was successful as a politician. However, she was more astonished to read about how happy Eries was in her marriage.

After that bizarre episode at court, Millerna had begun to wonder about the nature of her sister's relationship with the Strategos. They were certainly both more formal and refined than the Duke of Freid. And both were more reserved than Marlene had ever been.

But why did it seem that theirs was a genuinely loving relationship? Millerna wanted to understand this although she did not dare question her sister too much about it. Eries' stories were enough to keep the girl satisfied on boring days. And Eries' happiness gave the youngest princess hope for her future.

But the deeper Eries' delved into the motives and plans of Emperor Dornkirk, the more suspicious she became. The prudent princess was never one to pry or snoop around but she was a keen observer and perceived a great many things about the way things were being done in Zaibach.

She was perceptive enough to have suspicions about this whole plan of "Destiny Prognostication." Emperor Dornkirk seemed to be a shadowy, dubious figure, and yet so many of his people trusted him. The most she learned were vague ideas about some "ideal future" although she could not quite imagine what the people in Zaibach would do to achieve something so ambitious.

There were certain things that made Eries uneasy, however, and doubtful about the level of non-violence involved in the Emperor's plans. The military technology developed by Zaibach was unparalleled and more and more advanced guymelefs were being constructed and calibrated every day.

Although it gave her a sense of pride to know that Folken was the genius behind some of the most innovative inventions of the empire, Eries was still worried by the number of weapons being produced. If Zaibach really had no intention of waging war, then why waste so many resources on this.

"It could be that they are trying to assert their military dominance," she thought, "by producing advanced weapons and training elite soldiers, Zaibach is showing the world that it is a force to reckon with."

In a way, they were avoiding war by being the most prepared for it. No other country in Gaea would dare attack such a formidable force. And Eries knew how costly wars could be. No one would risk being completely destroyed by the armies of Zaibach.

And knowing Dilandau's character, Eries grew even more worried. She was lucky enough to be on his good side but she knew that he would only be too eager to destroy a country or two if given the opportunity.

"What have I gotten myself into?" she asked herself with a sigh one night. But as she gazed tenderly at the sleeping figure beside her, she forgot all her doubts.

In the past month or so, Folken was constantly being sent on trips all over the place to accomplish the tasks the Emperor gave him. He would not discuss his work in detail with his wife, not because he was forbidden to do so but because he did not want to burden her with tedious details.

And in fact, the more he continued working for Emperor Dornkirk, the more Folken doubted himself and the mission which he was working so hard to fulfill. In spite of all the preparation and planning, there seemed many flaws in the Emperor's logic which the Strategos was only beginning to see. Whereas before he had been so focused, so obsessed with following every order, now he was beginning to question some of the methods, even if he still agreed with the end goal. His feelings were growing more conflicted as time passed but he decided to suspend judgment for the moment.

Unbeknownst to Folken, the Emperor had noticed some subtle changes in the Strategos' behavior, and attributed these alterations to the presence of Eries. Dornkirk would not act on his suspicions just yet. But if Folken veered too far from the plan, then something would have to be done to re-adjust the circumstances.

Folken was used to taking long business trips all around but this time, there was something different. He found himself impatient to finish whatever task that was assigned to him so that he could return to the Vione, to Eries. In the nearly ten years that he had been in Zaibach, never had he felt that he had had a home there until now, knowing that someone he loved was waiting for him.

For both, it was the first time to feel the pining for someone else, and the yearning to see the other when he or she was gone. They found the situation almost laughable because neither had ever imagined being so sentimental. But there it was, and they soon ceased denying it.

And since they were both so busy, their time together was scarce and therefore, more precious. Neither wanted to waste their moments of respite talking about work.

For the two had finally admitted to each other that theirs was not just a marriage of political convenience. They had stumbled upon this truth one particularly quiet night.

The moon shone bright through the small window in the cold room with metal walls. Eries stirred from her slumber, suddenly aware that she was alone in her bed. Rubbing her eyes, the princess looked around for her husband but saw no sign of him.

There was however the familiar sound of his whistling coming from the next room. Tying her robe around her waist, Eries got up from bed and walked towards the small office-like room. She stood by the frame of the door for a few moments, gazing contentedly at the busy figure, bent on his desk in the bluish light, working on several documents and formulae.

She would have told him to get some rest but that would have been hypocritical. After all, there were some nights when she was the one busy working like this. So she decided not to interrupt him and just listened musingly to the familiar tune he was whistling. He was lost in his memories.

But it did not take long for Folken to sense that he was being observed. He turned to see his wife smiling at him from the doorway.

"I'm sorry," he said in slight embarrassment, "did I wake you?"

"Not really," Eries replied, walking closer to him and taking a chair beside him, "it was a beautiful song though."

"It's from Fanelia," he said rather sadly.

"Oh," Eries said with understanding, looking at him gently.

He rarely spoke of his past home though she knew that Zaibach could never replace Fanelia in his heart. He simply felt that he could not go back there after all the years, and after all that had happened. He could no longer be their prince.

A force of habit, Folken glanced at his metal arm gravely, an action which did not escape his wife's notice.

She immediately broke him away from his dark thoughts by putting her hand on his metal one. He looked up at her in surprise even though this was not the first time she had done such a thing. It always amazed him how someone could look beyond the hideousness of the metal appendage. It had taken a very long time for him to accept this modification of his body, and yet, Eries was able to do this faster.

Returning her gaze, Folken felt some of his troubles disappear and some burdens somehow lifted from his soldiers. He marveled at her power to give him such strength and comfort without even uttering a word. He gave her a grateful look.

They had developed a way of communicating so much in a simple glance, and it seemed that so many memories (both painful and sweet) seemed to fill that small space between them.

"I just needed to review a few things," Folken offered as an excuse.

But Eries could see that there was more to it than that though she would not question him further. He seemed too worried and too tired. He looked away from her for a while.

"I'm sorry," he said gravely.

"For what?" she asked.

"For dragging you into all of this," he replied, "into this scary, complicated country, and all the difficult work that comes with it, with this life."

"You have nothing to apologize for," she reassured her husband gently, "I chose this life on my own, and I have had no regrets."

Folken smiled slightly at her.

"I know you must be curious about all that's being done here," he then said to her, "and there is so much I would like to tell you, so much I wish I could explain."

"Shh," Eries said, raising a finger to her lips, "I know. And I'm thankful for your concern. But you really should not worry too much. I'll be fine and I'll manage on my own until I am ready to know what needs to be known."

"What would I do without you?" Folken asked in a slightly teasing tone.

"You'd work all night and get no sleep at all," Eries answered, matching his amusement with hers.

But turning more serious again, she squeezed (or at least tried to) Folken's metal hand affectionately.

"I may not fully understand what's going on here," Eries told him, "but I am not afraid because I am certain that you will do what ought to be done. And that's all that really matters. I trust you, Folken."

Folken looked at her intently once more before sincerely saying, "Thank you."

Eries merely smiled and nodded at this response. He then raised her hand to his lips gently, his eyes never leaving her face and returning that earnest gaze.

She trusted him. And so he was determined to do whatever he could to deserve that precious trust.


	15. Chapter 14

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: You may have been curious about how Folken and Eries met in the first place, and the weirdness of the prologue. This chapter is a flashback that will explore some part of their past, and hopefully offer some explanations. So it's a little break from the timeline of the story so far since things have been going swimmingly for the couple so far.

You may recognize the island in the title from the one in "The Odyssey." And seeing my pen name, you can make some connections. But this is not necessarily the Aeaea of Odysseus, but my own version of it. So please keep an open mind for expectations and such. And so many ironies and little symbolisms which I enjoyed inserting. I can't promise that they will be sensible or clever, but the confusion is part of the "mystery" (or at least, that's my excuse for my little whims).

I have had ideas about how this part of the story would play out for quite a while now but somehow "Inception" gave some more inspiration. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the Escaflowne version of "Inception". But the ideas about the world of dreams which were shown in that piece of cinematic brilliance helped me put this together somehow.

I'll try to keep the points of view as balanced as I can since for the other chapters, I tended to be biased towards Eries. And forgive the cheesiness that will pop up every now and then. It's ironic how I'm a really cynical and serious person and yet a really cheesy writer. Maybe I'm a closet romantic. (I do not own the cheesy lyrics in this as well.)

And you will laugh at the way the chapter was started. But I couldn't resist putting those questions there, almost a trademark of the series.

Hope you like this installment, and thanks for the support. I'll try to keep the pace of the updates. My target end date for the story is 10-10-10. Hopefully, I'll make it.

Chapter Fourteen

Had it been but a dream? Or maybe a vision?

All they knew now was that whatever Aeaea had been, it had brought them together two years ago. And whenever they doubted it, they had only to glance at the brands on their thumbs to remind them that it had somehow been real. The sorceress had known that their memory might try to deceive them.

But their memories of the time there were hazy and incoherent, like the memories of a dream. For all these visions were quickly being replaced by the reality of their life together.

And as the days passed and their love grew, Folken and Eries found themselves reminiscing about the inexplicable events on the mystic island.

Aeaea, the island where truth was unshackled.

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"Welcome, honored guests," the dark-haired sorceress had said hospitably, as the boats floated towards the island bathed in moonlight.

Like moths drawn to a flame, the strange boats were pushed by the current towards the mysterious island. Each vessel bore only one passenger, who could only see what was before him or her through the lantern hanging on a post on the boat. The dark depths were everywhere, and the only land in sight was the island. There was no other destination.

Each boat bore only one passenger, bewildered and perplexed, but answering to the strange summons nevertheless. All the guests were strangers to each other, all equally bewildered and bewitched by the wondrous spectacle before them.

They had been taken from their worlds, from their lives, so that they could take this journey. None remembered how they had gotten there in the first place. The only thing that was clear was that they had no other place to go.

From afar the island seemed so tiny, like a patch of land with a small, lighted dome at its center. On the shore, the sorceress waited, the only member of a welcoming party. She smiled warmly at them and seemed very hospitable.

She was a tall, dark-haired lady, fair in complexion, and regal in manner. She was dressed in a long, flowing white robe that seemed to be made of pure moonlight. And though she had all the appearance of youth, there was a wisdom in her dark eyes that betrayed the fact that she had existed for a very long time. In the depths of her gaze were countless secrets, gathered through the years.

And though she was smiling, it was apparent that she was not to be trifled with. She had already cast her spell and resistance was futile. Besides, none of the summoned had any desire to resist. If not completely entranced, they were all curious about what wonders the island might hold for them.

For their invitation had come at a fortuitous time. All of them had grown weary and bored of their lives so far, and longed for something to break the monotony. And by some strange force, their wish had been granted.

And though she referred to them in the plural, none of the guests saw the others. All they knew was that they were being welcomed by an enigmatic lady.

It was thus that Eries found herself being led gently by the sorceress towards the lighted dome.

"Do come in, my dear," the lady said kindly, "and enjoy yourself as best as you can. Don't be shy, now."

And with that the young princess of Asturia entered the small structure, and then marveled at the sight within.

It was certainly a magical place. For the dome that seemed so small on the outside turned out to be a vast, luxurious ballroom inside. A grand venue with lavish decorations and elaborate architecture, it was nothing like any of the ballrooms the princess had seen, and she had had her fair share of grand balls in Gaea.

Elegant furnishings, magnificent chandeliers, vast staircases, glittering crystals, wondrous pillars, and gilded sculptures, it was an awesome spectacle. Soul-stirring music filled the air and the occasion was both festive and refined.

And the guests! Everyone wore an elaborate costume, with the most artistic masks and ornaments. For one soon realized that this was a masquerade ball, the most splendid ever held.

And after Eries had gotten over her astonishment, she realized that through some magic spell, she was already dressed for the masque ball. She wondered at herself and turned around to see the beautiful gown that she had somehow arrived in. It was unlike anything she owned, and seemed even more elegant and glamorous than anything her sister had worn.

As she walked around, she found a mirror in which to gaze at her reflection. And though not prone to vanity, she could not help but feel extremely flattered and gratified as she admired her new garb.

For the first time, she felt truly beautiful.

And then, she raised a hand to her face to touch the intricate and wonderful mask that she was wearing. She fit right in.

Somehow, everyone knew better than to remove their masks to reveal their faces. No, that would ruin the illusion, and run counter to the point of a masquerade ball in the first place.

Eries was not dismayed. In fact, she quite liked the idea. The anonymity made everything more exciting somehow, and gave her a daring she had not known she was capable of. For whatever this dream or illusion or vision was worth, she would make the most of it.

After a few moments, someone approached her and asked for a dance. He seemed friendly enough, and she happily obliged.

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Somewhere in the masquerade, another guest was still trying to make sense of the circumstances. He too had arrived on the island on a boat, and though he had so many questions to ask the sorceress, when he had actually faced her, he found himself tongue-tied. She led him easily into the ballroom and when he remembered what he had wanted to ask, it was already too late.

He was dressed in finery he could not recognize, and an elaborate mask obscured his features. His costume also conveniently covered up his metal arm in leather gloves.

Though he admired the architecture and wonder of the venue, he racked his brain for ideas about his current position. But though everything seemed inexplicably familiar, he could not remember any names. And this was extremely frustrating for him.

Was this a side-effect of the Destiny Prognostication engine somehow? Was he hallucinating? Was this another strange experiment? He could find no answers.

He was torn between joining in the almost contagious merriment and remaining a passive observer, as was his habit, and somehow figuring out what had happened to him.

"There is no rational explanation for everything, my dear sir," he heard the sorceress' voice. But when he whirled around she was nowhere in sight. But he had been certain of what he had heard.

"I suggest you make the most of tonight and enjoy yourself in a way you have not allowed yourself to do for many years," the voice spoke again, in a calm but authoritative tone.

After some thought, the pensive man decided that she was right. And he already knew that it was pointless to argue.

There was the protection of the mask, of anonymity, and somehow, the freedom from accountability. He knew it was an irresponsible way of thinking but he had been shackled for so long with duties and responsibilities that he wanted to be free of them, even for just a little while.

Folken sighed and shrugged with a smile of resignation.

"I suppose there's no harm in enjoying myself for one night," he thought, "besides, it seems like I don't have much of a choice."

The future was hazy to him, and there were no calculations to be made about what would transpire in that magical island. But his instincts were not on alert, and that ineffable force, that rush of Draconian blood seemed to be telling him that there was nothing to fear.

For the first time in a long time, he would leave his life in the hands of Fate.

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"Dance to your hearts' content, my dear guests," the sorceress announced, "it is for this reason that you have been brought here – to dance, to live, to be free. And to find that which you did not even know you wanted."

All of a sudden, she was at the top of the grandest staircase, as if a performer on stage. For some reason, all of the guests felt compelled to give a round of applause. The music stopped for a few moments, so that all eyes and ears were on the gracious hostess.

She gave a small, grateful curtsey. She was the only one there not wearing a mask, and she intended to make her intentions very clear.

"You must be wondering why you must continue wearing your masks," she explained further, "but do not fret, there will be an opportunity to remove them later. For now, you must dance, move around, mingle, and shake off all your inhibitions. Keep on dancing until you reach that moment when you would want to reveal your faces."

All the guests were listening intently now, and there were some murmurs of puzzlement in the crowd. The hostess was not bothered by this, it was a natural reaction, and she was accustomed to it.

"You must realize that your coming here is not some shallow fancy and excuse for wantonness," she continued, "I will not be telling you when you should end the masquerade, you will know yourself when the appointed time comes. What happens beyond that, I leave up to you."

Each of them would find a partner with whom they would spend the rest of their time on the island, someone they were destined to meet. It was not necessarily a romantic encounter, for some it would be a long-lost friend or family member. Or an enemy seeking reconciliation. But for others, of course, love would be involved.

"The only rule I shall impose here," she continued, with a graver tone, "is that you are prohibited from revealing your names or any clue about your origins. And should you attempt to do so, you will be unable to."

Some gasps were heard from the crowd but no one look severely distressed. The enchantment of the island was already upon them, and though they could remember places and faces, they had already forgotten names, including theirs.

"Have no fear," the sorceress assured them, "this memory loss is only temporary, and you will regain everything once you have left this island. For now, truth must be unleashed in a different way. Because you must all know that at times, names and titles are more effective masks than those you are wearing right now."

Many nodded in agreement and shrugged. She was right, of course. They could not contest that claim.

Her dark eyes surveyed all the well-dressed guests, for the sorceress already knew who would be paired with whom. What was left was for them to discover each other. And she was always intrigued by the decisions made beyond that first moment of contact.

"I will not bore you with long, complicated explanations," she said, "that's unnecessary. Suffice to say that what happens tonight might very well change your lives, if you let it. For now, I take my leave."

And with these enigmatic words, the sorceress disappeared and the music resumed. Although still confused by her instructions, the guests decided to follow her advice and to continue dancing, now driven by an eagerness and curiosity about the moment of unmasking.

They were all enjoying the festivities too much to complain. They would remain there as long as they could, for the life they had led so far had been so devoid of such pleasures. And the hint of adventure was enough to keep their energy up.

What had she meant by all her words? What were they to discover? The ball had just gotten a lot more interesting.

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The music was lively and everything was splendid but the mood had shifted significantly. Now, everyone seemed to be hurrying in search of something they could not even describe.

Eries felt the change as well, just after the sorceress had given her strange speech. She began to wonder what the woman had meant, and what all this meant to her. Was this a game?

The dancing continued but this time everyone switched partners more quickly and more frequently. There was no ill will on either side but whenever Eries danced with someone, she would already have a sense of whether she wanted to continue in this person's company for a longer time. The same thing would happen with her partner, and they would part on good terms, a smile a bow, and then, she would be dancing with someone else.

Strangely, no conversations were held during these dances. Eries did not mind so much. Sometimes, speaking, even on very mundane things, became a bit of a burden. And since the dances were shorter and shorter, she never felt obliged to speak. There would be a flurry of movement, a swirl of her gown, and then it would be over. How she wished boring social functions in Asturia could be this brief!

As she continued to dance, she wondered what she would be looking for in such a mystical place. Was there something missing in her life so far?

Surveying her circumstances, she conceded that she wasn't really unhappy. She was a princess of Asturia, a talented young diplomat, and an asset to her father. She had two lovely sisters and some good friends. She could want for nothing, really. Or maybe she did not know what she wanted or needed.

And then it occurred to her as she curtseyed to yet another partner and moved on to the next. If everyone there was in search of something, could it be that someone there needed her?

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Throughout the dance and the continuous transitions between partners, Folken was deep in thought. He pondered heavily on all that the sorceress had said and like the others, he wondered about what he had been brought to the island for.

His life had been eventful enough, and he did not know if he would welcome further changes. Though nightmares of the past continued to haunt him, he had left his life in Fanelia behind. There was no going back.

And the sorceress was right about names and deception. He knew that only too well.

But did he really want to reveal his true face to anyone here? Was it necessary to burden anyone with that much?

He shook his head and tried not to ignore his partners so much, although they all seemed equally distracted. He tried his best not to cause any offense.

Again, the whole situation confounded him, and he could not for the life of him make sense of anything. So once again, he decided to resign himself to fate, to let forces beyond his control show him the way forward.

With a polite bow, he bid farewell his latest partner and turned to find another lady who would do him the honor. A tall, dignified young woman took his hand, and they began to dance.

But something was different, and both felt the change immediately. They looked at each other in alarm, and through the masks, their eyes met.

They said nothing because they could not think of anything to say. But as they danced, they were no longer in an impatient hurry to get rid of the other.

And at once the music seemed to grow mellow and it seemed that everyone had found his or her destined partners. The dance was slower now, as if to give them all the opportunity to take in what was happening.

After staring at each other for a few moments, each turned away in embarrassment, and both focused on the dance.

He had been caught completely off guard and did not know what to say. No woman had ever had such an effect on him and he did not know how to react.

For her part, she was embarrassed as well and back to her shy self. She was nervous and uncertain as he led her across the dance floor and wondered what would happen next.

They had read so much about such a feeling and seen so many others succumb to it before. But neither had ever imagined ever falling prey to such a common trap. They had always seemed so invulnerable, or at least believed themselves to be so. In their lives, there never seemed any room for such frivolous things.

But they felt safe and comfortable together, for some reason. All pain or sadness was forgotten. It wasn't as frivolous as they thought.

_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place, _a song was playing, _and suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace._

And in spite of herself, Eries had to smile, for the music was echoing what she had been thinking. It was such a ridiculously romantic notion and she was surprised that she was capable of such thoughts.

"Why are you smiling?" her partner asked gently, and he had smiled as well.

She looked up at him, blushing slightly.

"Oh, it is of no consequence," she said timidly, "it was just something silly."

"I'm sure it wasn't," he told her earnestly, "nothing about you seems silly at all."

"Thank you," she replied shyly.

They were silent for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry," Folken then said, "this is such a peculiar situation. I don't really know what I should say."

"I understand completely," she replied with a smile, "and you don't need to worry. I am as lost as you are."

"The funny thing is," Folken continued, surprised at his own daring, "though we are not compelled to say anything in particular, we are also free to say anything at all."

"You must be right," Eries answered, "and aside from your name, of course, since we have been so particularly instructed, you are free to tell me anything."

"Thank you," Folken replied, "that is very kind of you."

Now, it wasn't as if there was nothing to say. On the contrary, there was too much to say. They simply did not know where to begin.

But later on, they would tell each other everything.

They began to speak more freely and with greater ease as the dance progressed. And when the music ceased, the sorceress reappeared to announce that the guests may proceed outside for a tour of the grounds.

Though anxious about imposing upon her, Folken shyly offered his arm.

"If you would give me the honor of your company, my lady," he said politely, "I would very much like to continue our conversation outside."

"It would be a great pleasure," Eries replied sincerely (and more eagerly than she had expected), "and you needn't be too formal with me."

Folken nodded. And then, Eries decided to be a little bold.

"But there is one thing I'd like to do first, if you don't mind," she said shyly.

"Anything you wish," Folken replied.

Taking a deep breath, Eries raised her hands to his face, and placed them on his mask. The moment had come.

"May I?" she whispered nervously, seeing his eyes widen.

His expression softened however, and he nodded.

"Of course," he whispered back, for he had raised his hands to her mask as well. She had given her silent consent.

A few moments later, all masks were discarded.


	16. Chapter 15

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: Now, back to the regular timeline of the story. There's some development in the marriage so far, and some important choices to be made.

Though I do go into the immediate consequences of the departure from the island, there will be some new developments. Think of it as starting off from the prologue. I'm sorry if the timeline of this thing gets all muddled and weird. I was going for an "in-medias-res" effect and I hope it isn't too confusing. I know I'm not an epic writer but this is simply the way the story plays out in my head.

Hope you like how this is going so far and that you won't be bored by the rest of the story. It'= is going to be more eventful beyond this, I assure you. And forgive my feeble attempts to get inside their heads. There might be some cheesiness again, so sorry.

I must apologize in advance for what will be a slight delay in posting the next chapter. I am currently in the middle of a ridiculously busy academic week, with exams and papers due almost every day leaving me with very, very little time to write this story. The weekend was eaten up by various activities as well. But I've checked my "time table" and I think I can still make it so that I finish this by October 10. I will do whatever it takes to meet that self-imposed deadline. (Because it would be really, really cool to post something on 10-10-10, and I make it a point every year since 2008 to try and post something on unique dates).

So I hope you will all forgive me for any delay in posting the next chapter. And please continue to leave reviews and feedback on the chapters posted so far. I would like to have, if I may, some acknowledgment that people are still reading and are still interested in this crazy story of mine.

Thank you very much and sorry for yet another long and boring author's note. We move on to the rest of the story now.

Chapter Fifteen

After such a peculiar and intriguing encounter, it was difficult to resume one's normal life. So much had progressed in the unusual and inexplicable time frame of the island that it was hard to imagine how one ought to continue living in the same way.

Some of the guests ended up drastically changing their lives, and others tried to change in gradual doses. But for those whose enlightening experience had been dependent on meeting a particular person on the island, this was a bit more challenging to accomplish.

And however affected by meeting each other Folken and Eries had been, they had decided upon their return to their worlds, not to let the island change them. They had already reconciled themselves to the idea that there was very little chance of their seeing each other again, even if it pained them so.

But they staunchly refused to be miserable about it and decided to do everything they could to set aside the memories and feelings of that time, and to forget every weakness they had allowed themselves to indulge in.

It wasn't that much of a challenge for either of them. Folken, in particular, had had some experience in suppressing painful memories, and he decided to shove the island and the girl he had danced with to the furthest corner of his memory, to be obscured by the shadows. And they were both strangely thankful that they had not exchanged any names for this made any desire to search for the other less rational, and they were all for rationality.

Both, however, tried to investigate (in that efficient way of theirs) and research on any information about the mysterious island. Eries scoured the library of Asturia while Folken dug through the notes and archives of Zaibach, searching for some answers about the great mystery.

Of course, they spoke to no one about this project, for they were sensible enough to know that when one speaks of seemingly impossible things, most people were apt to think that one has gone mad.

But there was nothing they could find, no accounts (even vague ones), no records, not even folk tales or stories about an island that fit the description of Aeaea. After some time, Folken and Eries decided that the Sorceress' powers were greater than they had anticipated and that she had surely covered her tracks and gotten rid of any clue that might lead back to her or the existence of her wondrous island.

In the end, after much effort spent on the search for rational explanations, both just gave up and resigned themselves once more to the fact of life: that not everything has a rational explanation.

Ironically, it was when they had both fully accepted the mystery of the encounter and when they had both finally felt that they had moved on with the their lives that their paths crossed again. And after that "first" meeting in the Asturian court, Folken was determined that he would never let Eries go again.

And yet they had both still been wary of the other, as if incredulous that yet another peculiar meeting would take place. And knowing full well that this time, they would not be as free and uninhibited as they had been on Aeaea, that they were now also under the scrutiny of various external forces (who could very well separate them again), they had to be very careful. There were greater risks involved at present.

But a few days into their marriage, both Folken and Eries knew that all that they had endured and all that they would have to face were completely feasible and tolerable. After all, they had been through worse before, and for a lot less as well.

To be reminded of this, they had only to glance at the other.

"You're worth it," they would think silently, smiling with contentment at how things had turned out for them.

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"Welcome back, Lord Folken," one of the soldiers greeted the Strategos respectfully, as the latter alighted from his ship.

Folken gave a curt nod of acknowledgment and looked about him at the cold, dark, metal walls of the flying fortress. For all its formidable appearance, the Vione was home. And he was glad to be back.

He had been sent on more and more missions by Emperor Dornkirk lately and his departures from the Vione had been more frequent. Naturally, he did not question his superior's orders, but Folken was feeling more and more exhausted by every errand. But the time was drawing near for the great plan to be executed. Already the pieces were falling into place for the Emperor's grand vision of the future to be realized.

As he pondered on all the recent developments, Folken was filled with both a great excitement and also a heavy sense of dread. He had been involved in fixing all the details and doing all the necessary calculations, and yet so much still seemed uncertain.

Folken shook his head. It would not do to burden his mind further with such doubts. There was too much work to be done.

And since opportunities to rest were growing scarcer, he did not intend to spoil this one. He did not know how long it would be before he was given another important assignment. But he knew that it would not be long.

He was sorely tempted to go straight to his personal quarters, and to greet the person waiting for him there, but duty restrained him. And he knew that his wife would never approve of him neglecting his responsibilities.

So he reluctantly did some rounds in the flying fortress, making sure that everything was functioning properly and that everyone was doing what they should. It didn't take long. The Vione was a well-oiled machine and rarely needed any major adjustments. This came as a relief to Folken.

At length, he was finally able to proceed to his personal quarters, and he did so very eagerly. Before entering, however, he realized that he had arrived ahead of schedule but very late in the night. She would not be expecting him, and she was probably already asleep.

With a sigh, he made sure to enter the room as quietly as he could.

As it turned out, she was not yet asleep, but already in bed, wringing her hands in uncharacteristic anxiety.

Seeing her thus, a figure bathed in moonlight, Folken could not resist staring.

The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up and she immediately got out of bed and ran to him.

"Welcome home, my love," she greeted him with a smile, affectionately taking his hands in hers.

"I'm glad to be back," he said, raising one of her hands to his lips. She nodded though she was looking at him with an unfamiliar expression.

"I trust your trip was both productive and pleasant," she said.

"As far as it could be, yes," he replied with a small sigh, "I won't bore you with the details. I wasn't that interested anyway. Very tedious, really."

She looked at him in concern and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You look so tired," she said gently, "you must rest."

He nodded and made no argument. He was well aware that though her tone may seem mild, she was being perfectly authoritative.

As he prepared to go to bed as well, they began to catch up with each other. Their conversation was light because they weren't really that concerned with the content. It was enough for them to spend that little time together.

"Anything interesting happen here while I was gone?" Folken asked.

"Where do I begin?" Eries replied with a soft laugh, "you know perfectly well that certain inhabitants of the Vione are completely incapable of being boring."

"I see," Folken said with a smile, "Dilandau's been causing trouble again, hasn't he?"

"Nothing serious, don't worry," Eries answered with a laugh, "no one was severely injured. Although several Alseides prototypes were fairly damaged. As expected, he refuses to take responsibility for any of these, and he blames the faulty craftsmanship."

Folken shook his head in both frustration and amusement.

"Why am I not even surprised?" he commented wryly. Eries laughed softly at this.

The continued to exchange such pleasantries but Folken noticed that there was something off about her manner that night. Very few people would be able to see through the façade of composure and gravity that Eries so often employed. But Folken knew her enough to see that she was severely apprehensive and agitated about.

"Are you all right, Eries?" he asked her in grave concern, "you seem upset. What's the matter?"

Her eyes widened at being thus discovered but she could not lie to him. He could see that she was still mulling over what she was about to say so he gave her time. She looked anxiously at him to the ground and then from side to side. He waited patiently but grew more and more worried. He had never seen her in such a state before and he was not sure what could have caused it.

"There is something very important which I must tell you," she said, almost in a whisper, and not daring to look at him for some reason.

He grew even more concerned by hearing her speak in such a frail manner. He saw that her hands were trembling and he immediately took them both in his reassuringly.

"You can tell me anything," he told her, "why do you seem so afraid?"

"Because I'm both overjoyed and terrified," she answered gravely, "and I don't know how to balance everything out."

"What's the matter?" he asked her again, taking his real hand and gently raising her chin so that she was facing him. He saw that her eyes were shining and he did not know what to say. So he waited for her answer.

Deciding that she had delayed too long, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes before finally speaking.

"I'm pregnant," she said simply.

He stared at her in shock, and it was her turn to wait for his reaction. She wanted to know if he would be happy, if this even would somehow not change the way things were between them. She had been so happy so far, and was even happier when she learned the news.

And yet, she could not be sure of how he would take it. So she waited as he processed what he had just heard.

In the moments of silence that followed her declaration, a flurry of images and memories flashed before Folken unbidden. It was like the floodgates had been opened, and long tucked-away memories were surfacing into his consciousness.

He seemed to be in some kind of trance.

It was amazing what an effect two words could have on a person, what great impact one simple truth might make on one's life.

Eries was with child. His wife was pregnant. She was going to be a mother. And he was going to be a father.

For some reason, his brain seemed to be functioning at a maddeningly slow pace, as if the concept was completely new to him, almost as if he was being confronted with something totally alien.

All of a sudden, he was a child again, running through the halls of the castle of Fanelia. He remembered his father's booming voice, his mother's smile. When she had told him that he was to have a younger brother, he had not been sure what it would mean. But seeing how she glowed with absolute happiness, he had assumed that having a younger brother would be a wonderful thing indeed.

He remembered little Van running up to him, calling his name. He would catch the boy in his strong arms and swing him around.

His family. His life.

He remembered watching his father do things. He admired his father and hoped to be like him someday.

"You make me so proud, Folken," Goau would say.

"One day, you'll have a family of your own," his mother had told him long ago, "and I am sure that you will love them and protect them the way we have done for you and your brother."

"Yes, mother, I promise," he had answered.

"Don't promise me," Varie had replied with a laugh, "promise yourself. Because you know now what it means to be happy in life, keeping all those most precious to you away from harm. You will be happy, my son. I know it."

But nothing ever worked out according to one's plans. And yet, here he was, ten years after all that, ten years after being reborn and leaving behind a painful past. And before him was a chance at that happiness that his mother had always wished for him.

He had thought that he was beyond redemption, not deserving of that simple but sublime life. But Destiny had turned on him again. This time, however, to his favor.

"Folken, Folken, FOLKEN!"

The Strategos snapped out of his trance-like state and was faced by a very agitated, tearful Eries, shaking him violently.

"What happened?" she asked urgently, "are you angry? Is there something wrong?"

He stared at her speechlessly and she grew more worried.

He didn't want this to happen, she thought. This is what she had been afraid of. This had not been part of the plan, it had not been calculated. So much change would be required.

But she was more than willing to go through everything for this, for them, for the family that they would be building together. Now more than ever did she realize that, cliché though it sounded, she could not imagine spending the rest of her life with anyone else.

And it was no longer just because of that mysterious meeting on the island. They had gone through so much together already.

And now, this child, this other heartbeat from within her, a life they formed together. She was familiar with the concept, but the experience was something totally beyond any of her thoughts or expectations.

There was life within her, and this was the fruit of what she had shared with him. It was miraculous, it was divine. She could find no way to describe it, the utter expression of her womanhood.

And yet he said nothing. Why was he silent still? Was he so seriously displeased? What would he tell her?

Or was he happy too? As happy as she was? Oh, how she wanted him to feel the same joy and exultation, and that great excitement at the possibilities of the future.

"Please, say something," she pleaded finally, "I know that this wasn't exactly part of the plan. I was surprised too when I learned. And yet, it isn't all that surprising too, considering us."

His expression was still unreadable and she felt that she just had to explain herself in some way.

"But I am so happy, Folken, you have no idea," she said fervently, "you have no idea how happy I feel to know that this happened because of us, because we chose to be together, and now, I feel like I've been given a precious gift. But I don't know if you feel the same way, and I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to...and I don't know how you're going to take all this in but…"

She stopped as she felt Folken steady her and place his organic hand gently on the side of her face. He wiped her tears away and looked at her with unmistakable love. This time, she was speechless, holding her breath in anticipation, and yet somehow already knowing that there was nothing to be afraid of.

"Eries," he whispered tenderly, "dear, sweet Eries. This is wonderful news."

At this a smile spread across her face that seemed to illuminate her entire being. She heaved a sigh of great relief and suppressed a small sob of joy.

"I…" she stammered, "I wasn't sure what you would think. I'm so sorry."

"Forgive me for ever giving you that impression," he then said gravely, "you have no reason to doubt me in this matter. Although it is a bit unexpected, there is nothing that would make me happier."

"Oh, that is so good to know," she cried, suddenly burying her face into his chest, "I'm so glad."

He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Forgive me for making you worry," he whispered into her ear.

"There is nothing to forgive," she replied, "I was being foolish and nervous and confused. I wasn't even sure of myself for a moment. But now, all is well."

He held her closer and they both continued to revel in the news, in the future for them. Both were keenly aware that they were not the perfect material for parenthood, but they resolved to do their best.

At that moment, Folken felt the convergence of two realities. For one, all the plans and experiments he had done for Zaibach seemed petty and self-important now. He now had bigger priorities.

And yet, it was now that all the planning and preparation for the Emperor's vision also mattered most. Now, more than ever, did Folken want to build that ideal world, that future without war or pain. He would not let his child suffer the way he had suffered.

Eries likewise was forming a resolution. She knew that it would take a lot of work for them to raise a family. She would no longer concern herself so much with investigating what she was not directly involved in. And she would support her husband in whatever he chose to do. They would have to prop each other up somehow.

"Dear Eries," Folken told her, in one of the rare occasions when he let his emotions spill out, "I must thank you for this."

"What do you mean?" Eries asked in slight incredulity and amusement, "I am not the sole perpetrator of the circumstances, you know."

"After what happened ten years ago," he continued gravely, "I had given up all chances of having such a normal, happy life. I decided to drown myself in work and study to try and forget, to kill all hopes for such an impossible future. But you have made so much possible for me, for us. And you never cease to bring me the happiness that I thought was lost for me."

Eries looked at him lovingly as she listened to this declaration. It was so rare that he let his guard down so much, even with her, and she was grateful for this. She took his organic hand and made their fingers intersperse.

"I would be content enough," she replied, "if I was making you even just half as happy as I feel when I am with you. I had given up expectations as well, of having such a future, because I was bound by duty. And I had convinced myself that there were little chances of my living a normal life. But somehow, we have made this the closest to normal as possible. And I have no regrets, only more hope for our future."

She placed her other hand on his cheek and rested it there gently. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch.

"I love you," he whispered, "I know I don't say this enough."

"I love you," she answered, "you don't always need to say it. You've always shown it."

He drew her closer and kissed her brow tenderly.

There was so much to look forward to now. Life had defied their expectations. But they welcomed the change, and were easily adaptable. Nothing would stop them from building their future together.


	17. Chapter 16

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: In the past few chapters we have focused a lot on our favorite couple. And though the story really is about Folken and Eries, they are not the only ones involved. So, this chapter will use have a slightly different take on their story.

No flashbacks though, the events will move forward from what happened in the last chapter. But this time, it will be from the perspective of the other characters. (Well, at the start, it's still Folken and Eries, but this will not be like the usual way they are written in chapters.) I hope that this won't bore you too much.

I'm also going to introduce an original character. Don't worry, her role is very minor and she's definitely not a Mary Sue. She's more of an interested observer. I don't really know how I came up with her but the idea for her point of view seemed like something fun to add to the story. I hope that you won't hate her that much. I just want to give some more colorful perspectives (I don't know but I have a soft-spot for characters like these because they have the potential to be so fascinating.) Her name is my poor attempt at using my knowledge o Spanish and symbolism. Anyway, you'll know her when you see her, I assure you.

And I know I made that long note about how I would not be able to update the story too soon but there was an unexpected shift in my schedule and I do have some time to spare this week – which is good for me to finish the story on the self-imposed deadline. The next few weeks will be crazy but I'll manage to slip writing in somehow. I was glad for a breather. Anyway, we do not have too long to go before the story ends.

Thank you so much again for your continuous support of the story. I'm working as fast as I can to be able to finish this on time. Please bear with me. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Sixteen

_My dear sister,_

_ I hope this letter finds you well. I know that you are currently busy attending to your various duties as well as some of those I left behind. In spite of the hectic schedule, I do hope that you are happy. It has been quite a while since we have last exchanged communications, and I hope that upon your reply to this letter, you will regale me with very detailed accounts of all your exploits. But for now, the news is mine to share._

_ And such news! For I write to gladly inform you that you will soon be an aunt again. As you read this, I hope that you are not too surprised by it although I must confess that I found it slightly unexpected. But now I feel a great mixture of eagerness and anxiety for what is to come. How shall I fare as a mother? What do you think? I suppose we shall have to wait and see._

_ Folken is delighted and cannot believe our good fortune although he does share some of my anxiety about parenthood. We have had experience dealing with children before (you would be surprised at how many of the younger soldiers here look up to us as guardians of sorts) but never something like this. I suppose we shall hope for the best._

_ In spite of all this, you can be sure that our child will be doted upon by devoted parents, determined to make his or her life as free from hurt as possible. And I think, that should be the least we can do, to take responsibility for the life we are bringing into this world._

_ I have rambled on, forgive me. But I do hope to hear from you soon. I would very much like to know how you are reacting to this little piece of news. I have already written a separate, more formal account (or a report, it seems) to father about this but feel free to express your feelings on the matter to him._

_With much love,_

_Eries._

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Naturally, Millerna replied promptly to this letter and made her delight exceedingly clear.

_Dearest sister,_

_ Congratulations! You can have no doubt of my delight at the news you have conveyed. I am so pleased and so eager to be an aunt again, this time with YOUR child. Time does seem to fly by with us now that we are having yet another addition to our family. I am so excited._

_(Although he does not say so, I know that father is also happy about being a grandfather again. And I assure you, his pleasure is not just because of any political advantages this development might have. He's just too stubborn to admit anything.)_

_No doubt, you've received some greetings from our adorable nephew in Freid. The Duke and our beloved little prince send their regards and best wishes._

_This must be such an exciting time for you and I cannot wait until we meet next so that we may talk more about this. When are you planning to visit us again? I hope it will be soon. There is so much for us to talk about, although not really much on my end. I will not waste any space in this letter talking about my boring life. I'm sure that everything here pales in comparison to all the adventures you're having in Zaibach._

_But I confess, my withholding some information here is also my way of urging you to come visit in Palas soon. How I've missed you, sister!_

_And don't you worry about being a mother! I'm sure I'm a poor example, but your guidance and guardianship have been as precious to me as I grew up as any mother's love. I am SURE that you will be a wonderful mother. You have all the qualities of one, being probably the most responsible person I know. You are warm and affectionate in your way, and I am sure that you will do everything in your power to protect your child._

_Please convey my heartfelt congratulations to your husband as well. I am happy for both of you, and I am eager to see how Lord Folken will be a doting father. He too seems to be determined to protect all those he loves, and I have seen now that he does love you very much though this still seems to baffle others. _

_I must commend you there, sister. No one else has ever caught Lord Folken's eye, and you managed to do so very effectively. (I am teasing. I know how much you love him as well, and I must confess that I am just a little jealous! Besides, I know I must commend him as well for winning your heart. I'm sorry for doubting you at first but now that I've seen you, I am perfectly convinced of your happiness, and I congratulate you. It seems that your happiness can only grow from here.)_

_And with both of you being so intelligent and talented, your son or daughter is sure to be brimming with brilliance. In this I do not jest. My future nephew or niece is sure to be the envy __of many in his or her generation._

_So naturally, I shall be a very proud aunt, indeed. And I am sure that if our dear Marlene was alive today, she would be sending her congratulations as well. She would have been glad to be an aunt, I think. She's probably smiling at us proudly from wherever she is._

_Oh, your child is just waiting to be spoiled by everyone is he/she not? We simply must meet very soon. I know that I have asked this before but is it really not possible for me to visit you there?_

_Now, it is I who have truly rambled all throughout this letter. I am just so happy for you and I hope to see you soon._

_With the greatest affection and love,_

_Millerna_

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The news was spread across Zaibach in a different manner, and the general response was favorable. Folken was congratulated by many of the officers who learned the news and even Emperor Dornkirk expressed some sense of congratulations to his trusted Strategos.

But now more than ever was he determined not to show how much these changes affected him. He needed to show the emperor that he would continue working well even with such developments. And yet, he could not conceal everything, and the shrewd old man was able to divine somehow that his loyal servant was more concerned with his growing family than with the great plans for the future of the world.

Such grave matters, however, were not too dwelled upon at such a celebratory time. Zaibach, and the Vione in particular, was hardly a festive place, but on such a happy occasion, there was an evident change in the overall atmosphere. One person, in particular, was making the most of the event.

Every now and then, when Folken happened to pass by the training area, he would hear triumphant shouts and the clink of wine glasses.

"Another toast to Lord Folken's upcoming fatherhood!" someone would cry out and Folken would embarrassedly have to endure yet another toast raised to him by the Dragonslayers Unit, eagerly led by their leader himself.

Folken did not know how many bottles of vino the young captain had already consumed on his account and he shuddered to think about it, knowing Dilandau's fondness for alcohol.

When the older man had confronted the younger officer about this, Dilandau had shrugged the matter off, as usual.

"Aren't you glad that I'm celebrating your new family circumstances?" Dilandau had commented mischievously.

"As much as I appreciate your support," Folken had answered, "I hardly think you need to empty someone's vineyard just because my wife is expecting a child."

For Dilandau had already made several toasts and had many drinking parties. He had given a toast to Folken, to Eries, to both of them, to their future child, to the prosperity of the empire, and a host of other things.

And no one dared prohibit Dilandau from doing anything since he had more than excelled in his training and had already mastered (and even improved) the newest models of guymelefs. Not to mention, he had beaten everyone in sparring.

"Stop using my situation as an excuse to get inebriated," Folken told Dilandau.

"Why, Lord Folken!" Dilandau replied in mock offense, "I am well aware of my limits when it comes to alcohol. Taking into consideration my high tolerance for it, in fact, I drink quite moderately."

At length, Folken left Dilandau to his devices. He would stop drinking when there were new missions to be accomplished and new weapons to be tested.

When Folken had relayed all this to Eries, she merely shook her head and laughed. After a while, Folken realized that the best way to deal with the whole thing was to use one's sense of humor. Besides, they had bigger concerns now.

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Several months passed and Eries' pregnancy grew more and more evident. At length, Folken and Eries decided that she would spend the last few months of her confinement at Asturia. This way, she would remain in one place as opposed to the nomadic (though comfortable) lifestyle of the Vione. And she would also be able to visit and spend time with her family, Millerna especially, since it had been a while since she last saw her sister.

They decided that this would be for the best since Emperor Dornkirk had a host of new assignments to send Folken on and he would not have had much time to spend with his wife anyway. He did promise, however, to be present on the day the baby was born.

"We must bear this separation as best as we can," Eries advised, "although I will be eagerly waiting for the day that we may be together again."

"I shall be very restless without you," Folken told her, "but I will try and endure."

"I'm sure you will," Eries replied with a smile, "and we'll be waiting for you."

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"Sister!"

Millerna came running excitedly to see her sister the very moment Eries alighted from her carriage. The two princesses embraced each other warmly and the younger girl promptly began to speak, both recounting stories and asking endless questions simultaneously.

Eries was certain that she would have a lot to keep her occupied during her confinement in Asturia. And she had to admit, that happy though she had been with Folken in Zaibach, she had missed her old home. The second princess of Asturia took a deep breath as she inhaled the familiar and comforting scent of the ocean.

"It's good to be back," Eries said with a smile.

Her father had welcomed her very cordially, and all the unpleasantness of their last discussion was now conveniently tucked in the past. She had more than proven her fulfillment of her duties, and he could no longer find any reason to doubt her.

And since she could not bear to be idle for long, Eries would still find opportunities to be of service to her country men. The king was pleased because he knew that her very presence was already an asset to his kingdom.

Lord Folken visited his wife regularly, which most people saw merely as a front for the covert negotiations Zaibach was making with Asturia, which were Folken's front for visiting his wife. The two often had a laugh at the expense of all those who believed that he was more concerned with politics than with her. But they did nothing to correct any misconceptions about the matter. Only they knew the truth, and that was for the best.

Again, after the slight scandal they had caused in the Asturian court recently, they did not want to show too much affection for each other in public, to avoid any more scandals and problems. They maintained their reputations and people continued to respect them.

But even though they tried to be very discreet about their interaction, they were still under scrutiny by many inquisitive people around them. Such a marriage between equals in position as well as diplomatic talent was unheard of in Gaea, and many were fascinated by the way the couple handled all their duties and their relationship.

Try as they might to downplay their genuine affection for one another, Folken and Eries could not hide their feelings completely. Dilandau and Millerna of course were aware of the strong bond between the couple but this was because they were very closely acquainted with both. And they had somehow joined silently and secretly in the pact to not expose the couple's love to the whole world. Millerna was always concerned about her sister, and Dilandau (who could never be guilty of feeling concerned for anyone) simply felt that things were more interesting that way.

Fortunately, their love was not obvious to everyone, and they did manage to conceal it (at least most of the time) from those who would seek to destroy them.

Nevertheless, there were some acute observers who could see through their façade of indifference and formality. One stranger, in particular, took a great interest in them.

This was Asturia's most renowned courtesan, La Miraveira. No one knew her real name and she preferred it that way. This lovely but shrewd young woman was the greatest success in her field because of both her beauty and brains. She was clever and learned in all the refined arts as well as knowledgeable in the latest trends in pleasure. Therefore, she was the object of desire of nearly everyone in and out of the Asturian court and she never wanted for a rich, influential client.

Even long before the wedding of the Strategos and the princess, La Miraveira had already taken a particular interest in Folken. This was not to say that she was in any way emotionally affected by him. She had learned long ago that there was nothing to be gained by being ruled by one's emotions, especially in her line of work. No, what fascinated her about Folken was his complete imperviousness to her charms.

La Miraveira was not a very vain woman, but she knew the scope of her power on most other men. Even when they refused to look at her, she saw the effect she had on them. And invariably, all were attracted to her, whether they were aware of it or not. She would see it in a spark of passion in their eyes when she held their gaze even for the briefest moment. Then, even if they would not seek her company, she would smile with satisfaction knowing that they secretly wanted her.

So far, there was only one man who had not been affected by her even in the slightest. And that was Strategos Folken. At first, she had taken this as a challenge, as an intriguing project. Although she found him handsome, she was not particularly fond of the Zaibach official, but her pride was hurt by his indifference and for a time she had been determined to win him over.

Unfortunately for the poor courtesan, none of her schemes had worked on Folken (although he had been amused by all her attempts). Nothing she did produced any spark in his dark eyes, and soon, she reluctantly admitted defeat. It was an exceedingly humbling experience for her but she learned to take it in stride.

There was something about the coldness in his manner that unnerved her somehow. She sensed that his eyes had lost any spark that they could have had, that they were dead eyes. He had lost some part of himself a long time ago, and it was irretrievable. And it seemed impossible for anything or anyone to rekindle the flames of passion in the Strategos' cold, calculating eyes.

So it was with great surprise that La Miraveira learned about Folken's marriage. She was amused by the notion and wanted to know more about it. She was acquainted with Princess Eries for she had spent a fair share of time at court. Eries had always been cordial to her, acknowledging the role she played in international politics.

La Miraveira was familiar with the serious natures of both diplomats and at first she had been convinced that their marriage was a purely political arrangement. But when she heard about the controversial kiss during the assembly, her interest was piqued. Two very unlikely people to cause a scandal, she had thought.

And she just had to learn more. So she took every opportunity she got to observe the couple whenever they would visit Asturia. At first it had been difficult since they spent much of their time in Zaibach.

But an opportunity had presented itself when the reports came in that Lady Eries was with child and would spend her confinement in Palas. It was this sojourn that had prompted frequent visits from the husband, chances in which La Miraveira was able to observe them.

And what she discovered was exceedingly baffling.

"Utterly extraordinary," she exclaimed to herself as she mulled over what she had just seen.

She had manipulated her current client into attending an event at the Royal Court where she was certain Folken would be. And just as she had planned, the Strategos of Zaibach was present, still as grave and dignified as ever. His wife was by his side, leaning on his arm, her body showing clear signs of her pregnancy and yet she was still regal and elegant. A very noble couple indeed, courteous and diplomatic to a fault.

And yet, there was something new about him now, about both of them, something strange and yet familiar. It was inevitable that they would cross paths in such a small assembly. When they did, the distinguished couple showed the necessary courtesy to both La Miraveira and her escort, an important official of Daedalus.

It was then that La Miraveira saw it. That unmistakable spark of passion burning wildly in Folken's eyes.

She was taken aback by its intensity, although it was not obvious to the ordinary bystander. She recognized it because she had had a lot of practice divining men's thoughts by peering into their souls, and finding their hidden truths, no matter how hard they tried to conceal them.

And she saw it clear as day, the life that had returned to his eyes. But more than the great passion, La Miraveira also saw something unexpected, love.

Though she did not have much experience in that area, she recognized it for what it was. And indeed there was love in the eyes of both Folken and Eries. They would exchange glances carefully and discreetly but they could not escape La Miraveira's notice. And she was utterly fascinated.

"Who would have thought that those two," she thought silently, "would show me a glimpse of that elusive love?"

The shrewd courtesan also knew this love to be strong because she saw how hard they tried to suppress it. And she had seen so many men lose their fondness for their wives when the latter would grow heavy with child. But this was not so with Folken and Eries.

If anything, he seemed to love her even more, because she was carrying his child. At least, this was what La Miraveira had surmised in the short glimpses she got of that peculiar couple.

"How ironic to see genuine love in the midst of this whole socio-political masquerade," she reflected, "and such a stark contrast in character they have to the usual lover-types. They never cease to amaze me."

And in fact, she was quite envious of their circumstances. Hers was hardly a life of luxury and happiness. But she decided that there was nothing to be gained by comparing her situation with theirs. She would simply enjoy watching them living on.

Now, every assembly that the couple attended afforded an extra pleasure to the experienced courtesan who was fast growing bored of the patterns of aristocratic life. She smiled and flirted with her usual energy, but she always tried to see how the unique pair were faring.

"I don't know how long they intend to keep this up in a world as dangerous and complex as this," she wondered, "but they are hardly the kind of people who give in to any kind of pressure. They are probably the most likely to triumph in the end."

And if that would be the case, then the couple would be a fine testament to love, indeed, La Miraveira thought, and perhaps such a model was needed for the younger, impulsive, foolish generation to better understand love.

One evening, as Folken and Eries bumped into the courtesan during an assembly, the latter found some nerve to address them.

"Congratulations to you both, Lord Folken, Lady Eries" La Miraveira remarked earnestly, "your child will surely want for nothing, being born to such distinguished parents."

They thanked her sincerely, both amused by her sudden desire to converse with them. She had never shown such an interest in them before, and now the two clever spouses had suspicions on why the courtesan was suddenly so friendly. Neither of them judged her because they knew that her life had not been an easy one.

"The journey ahead is bound to be a long and complicated one," La Miraveira told them enigmatically, "but I'm certain that with your extraordinary strength, you will surmount all the challenges that come your way."

Again they thanked her for such generous praise and she nodded to them. But before the three guests were able to discuss any important matters with each other, they were summoned to different parts of the hall. The couple took their leave of the courtesan and she bowed reverently back.

She felt an urge to say one last thing, seized by a desire to see them through whatever was coming. She would never have their happiness, but she very much wanted to be a witness to it.

"With all my heart," La Miraveira declared, "I wish you well."


	18. Chapter 17

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: Now, things get exciting for me. For the next few chapters, I will try my best to strike a balance between some action, some drama, and a fair bit of comedy. I never really intended for this story to be a serious (and cheesy) as it turned out to be.

At first, it was really more of a crack fic and was meant to be a lot shorter and much funnier. But I guess it has evolved into something else (although still weird) and I'm quite proud of how it turned out. I'm also glad that there are people who were interested into this strange little piece.

So I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's going to be a bit funny and also a bit serious because I'm building up the tension for the end of the story which is coming very, very soon.

Chapter Seventeen

"And just where do you think you're going, sister?"

Eries turned to see her younger sister frowning sternly, arms folded, and exuding an air of utmost disapproval. The older princess smiled with great amusement at the strange role reversal that had just taken place.

How Millerna had managed to find out that she was about to leave was a mystery to Eries, but the latter was also slightly impressed. She had been so very discreet about this particular trip.

And she had been caught just as she was about to ride her carriage. Such perfect timing.

"To our rest house in the outskirts of Palas," Eries answered calmly, "I've been meaning to go there for quite some time now but I haven't been well enough for the journey these past few days. This morning, however, I felt much better and I decided that this is probably the best time to go."

"To travel by carriage in your condition?" Millerna exclaimed, looking appalled.

"I'm pregnant, Millerna, not handicapped," Eries answered calmly, "besides, it is not a long journey, just several hours through the woods. We won't be meeting any other travelers at this time of year, and I expect it shall be a very pleasant and relaxing journey."

"But why go there when you are so close to your due date?" the sister continued to interrogate.

"Precisely because I want my child to be born there," Eries replied, placing a hand on her bulging belly, "in a small, simple house, surrounded by nature and in the tranquility of the country, far away from the hustle bustle of the capital. Because the child will have to face all this chaos soon enough, so I had planned not to let him or her experience it from the very moment he or she is born."

"Why did you not tell me of this then?" Millerna asked in concern.

"I was certain that not everyone would approve of my decision so I was quiet about it," Eries explained, "and I didn't want to burden you with my plans. I certainly did not want our father to know about this."

"So this was to be a secret from everyone?" Millerna asked again, slightly offended at being left out.

"Not everyone, of course," Eries answered with a smile, "my husband is perfectly aware of the plan and has given his approval. He is currently away on business but he hopes to return in time for the birth of our child. Everything has been worked out accordingly."

"Well, in that case," the younger sister said, "I insist on accompanying you on this journey."

She had expected resistance or protest but Eries merely smiled and held the carriage door open to her. Millerna looked at her sister curiously

"I would be glad of your company, sister," Eries remarked gratefully, "you are very welcome to join me."

"I hope I won't be interfering with any of your other secret plans?" Millerna asked carefully.

"Of course not," Eries said with a small laugh, "to be honest, the only reason I refused to let you know about this was because I knew you would accompany me and I did not want to disrupt your schedule. Are you sure that you do not have any other matters to attend to?"

"How can anything be more important than the health and safety of my own sister?" was Millerna's quick reply, "and I'm not about to miss the birth of my new nephew or niece? I didn't get a chance to see Prince Chid's birth so I'm making sure I am there for your child."

"Well, then," Eries answered, smiling affectionately, "I suppose I have no choice."

"No, you don't," Millerna replied stubbornly, but returning her sister's smile, "besides, I would have found out sooner or later, you know."

"Perhaps," Eries conceded.

Millerna then wondered whether it was her sister's plan to have her come along in the first place, and this had been an indirect invitation. She shrugged it off. It didn't really matter for as long as they would be together during the journey. It was, after all, just a short one, and bound to be uneventful.

In a few moments, they had ridden the carriage and began the short trip to the royal family's small and discreet rest house on the outskirts.

Both sisters were glad for each other's company since they had hardly had a chance to really converse since Eries had returned. Somehow both of them had been too busy with their duties and attending various events and functions to really speak to one another.

At one point, Millerna felt that she was able to communicate more to her sister in their letters than when Eries was actually in Asturia. And of course, whenever Folken visited, Millerna could never pull her sister away.

But she was eager to catch up with Eries now, and the latter returned her sentiments.

"We shall not be bored at all on this trip," Millerna said excitedly, "there is so much I want to talk to you about."

"It seems so," Eries replied calmly, "we have barely had a chance to speak the whole time I've been here. What news do you have for me?"

"Oh, sister," Millerna answered, "I don't want to talk about me today. Things here in Asturia have been progressing just as expected, nothing really changes, and you would know about that more than anyone. No, we shall not talk of Asturia today. You must tell me more about _your _life, about Zaibach, about everything."

"Well, certainly not everything, of course," Eries replied with amusement, "or else we shall have to speak for days on end."

They both had a laugh at this and the sharing of stories began. Millerna was an eager listener and seemed to be fascinated by every observation Eries had about her new life. It amused Eries that her sister seemed so interested in Zaibach, so she decided to dwell more on the pleasant aspects of her life.

For the moment, she would leave out the darker details, and all the suspicions she had about Emperor Dornkirk's plans. There was no need to burden Millerna with that information.

So Eries focused on the technological innovations of the empire as well as some amusing characters (General Adelphos, for one). She also told her sister about the twin cat-girls, who had been hostile and possessive at first, but then eventually warmed up to her. In fact, when they heard of her pregnancy, Naria and Eria sent their best wishes and expressed a desire to see and play with the child once he or she was born.

Millerna's eyes widened like that of a little girl as she listened to all the interesting stories her sister had to share about her life. She had never heard this many details from Marlene, who had written often but only seemed mildly content with her life at the start.

Something had changed about Eries ever since her marriage, Millerna thought. The older sister seemed happier somehow. And it was still difficult to imagine how this could be considering what a dark and forbidding place Zaibach still seemed.

And even in spite of the public display of affection Folken had made during the council several months ago, Millerna was still slightly doubtful about her brother-in-law. But then again, Eries seemed very happy with him.

At length, Eries noted her sister growing pensive as she listened to some of the stories. The older sister knew immediately what was plaguing Millerna.

"You must be too shy to ask," Eries said, opening the subject herself, "but I'm sure you're very curious about my husband, aren't you?"

Millerna blushed slightly at being so discovered but she nodded timidly.

"There's no need to be embarrassed about it, my dear," Eries said with a laugh, "I know how much he gives an air of mystery. Everyone is curious about him. And I think that to some extent he enjoys the attention."

"But you can be quite mysterious too, sister," Millerna commented.

Eries laughed at this.

"I confess, that is true," she said, "and maybe that's what makes us so compatible."

Millerna smiled at this. For all the seriousness and mystery of Lord Folken, the fact that he could have such a pleasant effect on Eries had great merit.

"But all jests aside," Eries continued in a graver tone, "Folken is a very complicated man but he is not as frightening as he seems. When you get to know him, in fact, he is such a kind and gentle soul. But he has been through a lot in his life and he has learned the hard way that there are certain appearances you have to keep up in order to survive, some masks that need to be worn."

The younger princess looked at her sister in concern and saw that Eries had grown very pensive.

"I should know that well," the older princess continued, "and so it was when we were both completely honest with each other that everything else fell into place. I do firmly believe that no other man would suit me."

"You really do love him, don't you?" Millerna asked in earnest.

"Yes, yes, I do, very much," Eries answered immediately, without the slightest hint of hesitation, "he is truly the best man I have ever known."

Millerna could not help but smile warmly at her sister. The young girl squeezed Eries' hand affectionately, again expressing her happiness for her. She had never seen Eries so affected by anyone, and she hoped for the best.

Because if anyone truly deserved to be happy, Millerna thought, it was Eries, without a doubt.

"And contrary to what other people may think," Eries continued, "he loves me too. He has always shown it to me, and that's all that really matters, I think."

"I don't think many people doubt that after what happened in the council last time," Millerna said with a grin.

Eries could not help but laugh again as she recalled that preposterous incident.

"I have to admit that it had surprised me too," Eries said, "I've never known Folken to be so impulsive. But there was this strange twinkle in his eyes that convinced me outright. He was hardly mischievous but when the rare opportunity presents itself, I will always cooperate."

"You seem to know each other so well, even after so short an acquaintance," Millerna observed, but in a tone more of curiosity than suspicion.

"That's true," Eries conceded, choosing her words carefully before proceeding. She felt that it was not yet the time to speak of the dream or the strange island. In fact, as time passed, that memory grew fainter and fainter and it might be unnecessary to mention it at all.

"We were very open to each other at the start of the marriage," Eries explained, "somehow we both saw it as more than just a political arrangement so we wanted to know as much about the other as possible. After all, we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. It might as well be a worthwhile relationship."

"And that's how you both fell in love?" Millerna asked a little more eagerly than she had wanted to sound.

"Well, not exactly, although you could say that," Eries answered, searching for words. She paused to compose her thoughts.

"I don't think we fell in love in the same way that most people do," she explained more clearly, "we felt a gradual connection and a mutual respect and esteem for each other, one that grew the more we learned about each other. It seems rather boring to talk about, I know. Nothing in that grandiose or romantic fashion that people like so much."

"It certainly is something different," Millerna said, "but seeing how wonders have come about from your unusual process, I think it works better than most haphazard love affairs. Yours seems destined to last."

"I'm glad you think so," Eries replied with a smile, "and I guess the experience is different for different people."

"Maybe it was complicated because only complex and intelligent people like the two of you would be able to make any sense of it," Millerna remarked with a smile, "and it turned out to be a deeper love than anyone ever expected."

"A deep love," Eries repeated, somewhat thoughtfully, "yes, I suppose you could say that."

"And I can only hope to have even half of what you have," Millerna repeated a wish she had had ever since she had noticed Eries' happiness, "perhaps someday, with the right person."

"I'm sure you will, my dear," Eries reassured her, "and you needn't go through all the twisting paths that we had to pass. I don't mean to imply that you are simple, of course. You're my sister, how could you be? Just that the love you seek will find you in a way you don't really expect."

"That's something to look forward to, then, isn't it?" Millerna replied brightly.

"Of course it is," Eries said, embracing the younger girl affectionately.

At that moment, their carriage came to a sudden halt. The two princesses were immediately concerned, and Eries opened her window to check.

"What's the matter?" she asked the coachman, "why have we stopped?"

"I'm sorry, my lady," the coachman replied, "but there's a man here who needs some assistance. It seems he has lost his means of transportation."

Curious but cautious, both princesses alighted the carriage to see the stranger. At the sight of the young man, their eyes widened in recognition.

"Well, well, who would have thought I'd bump into you here?" Dilandau asked with dark amusement.

They made the necessary courtesies, bowing and curtseying slightly. The coachman was relieved that the princesses seemed acquainted with the stranger.

Millerna was shocked and shy all of a sudden. She had not seen Dilandau since the incident at the council and she was not sure if he remembered her. If he did, he made no sign of it.

"Serendipitous indeed," Eries replied, unfazed by his smirk, "but what brings you all the way here, Lord Dilandau?"

"Faulty technology," he replied curtly, but with a mischievous grin.

Eries rolled her eyes.

"With you any new technology doesn't stand a fighting chance," she commented, "which Alseides prototype did you destroy this time?"

"It isn't my fault if the flight function wasn't working properly," Dilandau said, renouncing any responsibility.

"I'm sure you weren't supposed to take it out of the Vione yet, were you?" Eries asked him suspiciously.

"How else are you supposed to test flight function without taking to the sky?" was his witty retort.

Eries shook her head and sighed. So much for an uneventful trip. Nevertheless, she was greatly amused by the turn of events.

"You're determined to give General Adelphos another headache, aren't you?" she teased.

"One of life's small pleasures," Dilandau replied mischievously.

"The poor man," Eries replied sarcastically, "I'd feel sorry for him if he wasn't such a pompous boor."

Dilandau grinned widely at this, glad to see that once again, the lady was on his side.

"What are you doing traveling anyway, in your condition?" the young captain asked, "you look just about to burst."

"Which is why I'd like to reach my destination as soon as possible," Eries replied calmly, "and you are welcome to join us, of course. We can contact your beloved superior when we reach the rest house."

"That is, of course," Eries added suddenly, "if you don't mind more company, Millerna? Captain Albatou can be quite a pain."

Dilandau glared at her but said nothing.

The younger princess blushed immediately.

"It would be no trouble at all," Millerna said shyly, "I would be very glad to have Captain Albatou in our company."

Eries noted this change in Millerna's tone with concern. As much as she was fond (and tolerant) of Dilandau, Eries did not want her sister to show any particular interest in him. She could only be thankful knowing that he would never encourage her.

"Well, then, I guess it's settled," Dilandau said audaciously.

"I suppose there's no harm in having a bodyguard of sorts," Eries teased.

"Whatever you say," Dilandau replied gruffly.

They all rode the carriage once more, Millerna blushing furiously as Dilandau had to sit beside her since Eries needed much space. The older sister watched them carefully, and with some amusement.

It was going to be a very interesting trip, indeed.

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"Is something troubling you, Folken?"

"No, your Highness," Folken replied calmly.

The Strategos faced the screen with the raspy voice seriously, after having delivered a number of important reports. He had been there for hours already, fulfilling his responsibilities, and executing many of the emperor's crucial plans.

He wondered why Emperor Dornkirk would ask him such a thing all of a sudden.

"Are you sure?" the old man continued, "because lately, you have seemed rather…distracted."

"I apologize if it seems that way, my lord," Folken answered, "but I am also thinking of the birth of my child. My wife is due very soon and some changes in living arrangements will have to be made."

He had been away at work for weeks now and he had not been able to visit Eries. He tried his best not to show any sign of pining for her or too much concern.

The slight tinge of threat in Dorkirk's last comment had not escaped him.

Distracted. Under no circumstances could he risk seeming so. While Folken was unsure of what Emperor Dornkirk would ask him to do once the child was born, he would make sure that nothing would seem to change in terms of his service. He knew what Zaibach was capable of, and never had he been so anxious for himself before now.

"Ah, yes, congratulations," the Emperor said coldly.

"Thank you, sir," Folken answered, slightly nervous about where this was all going, "has any of my recent work been unsatisfactory?"

"No," Dornkirk replied, "your performance has been exemplary, as always."

"Thank you, sir," the Strategos answered coolly. But there was something clearly bothering the Emperor, and he needed to find out what it was.

"And I hope that none of your new family circumstances will alter the quality of your work for the Empire. You are well aware that for our ideal future to be realized, every single detail must be worked out. The slightest adjustment can alter the whole course of destiny."

"I am well aware of that, sir," Folken replied calmly, "and you can be assured of my utmost cooperation. I will make sure that nothing stands in the way of our ideal future."

"Good," the Emperor replied curtly, "that will be all."

Folken made a bow as the image of the emperor disappeared from the large screen.

There it was at last, that silent, hanging threat over him. Folken had been expecting this but not so soon. He needed to be very, very careful not to betray how he truly felt. Because the more time passed, the less he was convinced by the Emperor's grand plans for a new world and for the Destiny Prognostication Engine.

Folken had begun to feel that his ideal future was a simple one, a life lived with Eries and their child. It was possible for something good in the world.

But he would not risk letting anyone know of this dangerous realization. He needed to keep up appearances so that he could protect his family. Right now, they were all that really mattered.

He just hoped that he would do a better job of convincing Dornkirk of his loyalty. But Folken was also beginning to think that if it reached a point that he would have to choose between his indebtedness to the Emperor and his love for his family, he would choose the latter. And the consequences then will surely be dire.

The Strategos shook his head, banishing all such unpleasant thoughts. There were other errands to attend to, other orders to follow. And the sooner he finished his tasks, the sooner he could return to his beloved Eries. He would figure everything out later on.

Unfortunately for Folken, Emperor Dornnkirk was not fully convinced of his Strategos' absolute loyalty. At first the marriage with the Asturian princess had seemed like a very useful political maneuver. And even the child that was about to be born was a beneficial addition, to keep up appearances and to solidify the alliance with Asturia.

But now, there was a change with Folken, and Dornkirk frowned upon this.

At this stage in their plans, when all the pieces were moving into place, when soon only the dragon was needed to complete the puzzle, they could not afford even the slightest change.

All his hard work, all his dreams were about to be realized, and he would not let anyone, even a princess and her child, stand in the way of his destiny.


	19. Chapter 18

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: Now, the real fun begins. For me and for you readers, hopefully. But not really for our favorite characters (except some, you'll know what I mean). If you've read some of my stories for Avatar, you may know that I'm not particularly good at writing action sequences. They always work out better in my head than when I attempt to put them in words.

But an action sequence is necessary for this chapter, and you will see me attempt to make it as entertaining as possible. I'll also try to turn down the violence but with Dilandau in a scene, you can have certain expectations. Just a warning.

I'm working on a really tight schedule now as I'm in the hellish period which is comprised of the last two weeks of the semester. And my professors have somehow seen fit to dump all requirements on us at the same time. I can only say ¡Que horror ! (to insert some of the Spanish I'm learning at school). I'm really busy as hell.

But I'm not abandoning this story for anything. I resolved to finish it by the tenth of October and by hook or by crook I will! Because beyond that date, there is so much still to be done in my messy, cluttered life.

Don't worry, I won't be sacrificing quality of writing for other things but please do forgive some errors I might make in my zeal to get this completed. I delayed long enough in updating this so I'll make sure I get it finished (as well as other stories that I've left on hold) before I even start thinking of writing a new story.

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Eighteen

"And so now you can see why Lord Dilandau isn't a member of the diplomatic corps," Eries commented with an amused smile, "his level of frankness would spark wars between even the most benevolent and pacifist of countries."

Millerna smiled timidly at this comment while Dilandau crossed his arms smugly, not taking offense at all. Eries smiled at the two before her, relieved that things were going rather smoothly.

"I don't mince my words," the young captain replied candidly, "it's a colossal waste of time, and I hate wasting time. I prefer to settle everything out directly and clearly, and the battle field's the best place for that kind of thing."

"But do you really think that violence will solve everything?" Millerna dared to ask.

Eries watched this exchange carefully. She and Folken had had similar arguments with the young soldier before and she already knew the outcome of such a suggestion.

"Hmmph, it gets things done more often than not," Dilandau replied coldly, "and you can depend on armed struggle for more straightforward results than long, boring negotiations."

Millerna stared at him in shock and some fear as well. The younger princess was growing restless around the frighteningly fascinating soldier and she was not really sure how to conduct herself.

"Casualty count doesn't bother Dilandau as much as it does most people," Eries explained, "and you have no idea how much Folken and I have tried to convince him to have a little more regard for human life."

"If you die in the battlefield, you have no one else to blame but yourself," Dilandau said harshly, "those who are weak and incompetent do not deserve to survive."

Millerna shuddered at this thought but saw that he was perfectly serious about it. She wanted to argue further but the deadly flash in his blood-red eyes warned her to keep her mouth shut. Eries, for her part, was looking at the soldier gravely but did not seem very surprised by his outburst.

The older princess was already accustomed to Dilandau's line of thinking and she was now mostly concerned with distracting them all from such serious reflections.

"So much for your philosophy in life," Eries added, trying to clear the air, "a leisurely trip like this one is hardly the occasion for such grave discussion."

"Really, Lady Eries," Dilandau teased, speaking with a lighter tone, "I would have thought you were more than used to serious discussions."

"I am," Eries replied, "which is why I'd like a break from them now, if you please."

"Your call," Dilandau answered with a shrug, "right now, my main concern is finding a way back to the Vione to train some more."

"We'll arrange for that as soon as we get to the rest house, I assure you," Eries, "so in the meantime, I ask that you conduct yourself in a more gentlemanly manner in the presence of my sister. Not everyone is used to your unique personality, you know."

Millerna listened in shock at the way her sister addressed the fearsome fighter. Eries did not seem the least bit intimidated by him and was perfectly at ease speaking to him as she would a younger brother. And in observing the banter between them, the younger princess only admired her sister even more, for having earned the respect and esteem of someone as fierce and unyielding as Dilandau Albatou.

"Really, Lady Eries?" Dilandau asked, raising his eyebrow mischievously, "and since when have I ever exhibited any _gentlemanly _qualities, pray tell?"

He pronounced one of the words with a clear distaste.

"Well, you do have a point," Eries replied calmly, eliciting some chilling laughter from the young man.

"Oh no," Millerna added in embarrassment, "you needn't make any changes on my account. I'm sure my sister was just teasing."

"If that is true, then it is a great surprise to me," Dilandau answered, "for I have always known Lady Eries and Lord Folken to be the most serious human beings ever to walk this planet."

From then on the conversations became less serious, and all three were able to endure each other's company with more ease.

The carriage ride with the temperamental young captain had not been as tense and awkward as Eries had anticipated. She knew Dilandau enough to expect some trouble but he seemed either too tired or too bored to bother about stirring up any mischief.

Besides, Eries knew that he had a grudging respect towards her and would no longer attempt to harm her or anyone with her. The key lay in keeping him as occupied as possible without raising the possibility of an armed struggle.

They had spoken of many things during the ride, and somehow time had passed in a relatively pleasant manner.

But the more Eries observed Millerna around Dilandau, the more nervous and worried she became. She had hoped that when her younger sister saw more of his true nature (which he would never bother to hide), Millerna would be dissuaded from any infatuation for him.

At that moment, ill-advised though it would be, Eries preferred Millerna's crush on Allen Schezar. But then again, even with someone as chivalrous and honorable as Allen, there was still some risk of heartbreak on the young girl's part. It was a frustrating thought, especially for the affectionate older sister.

Eries was certain that at least, Dilandau would reject Millerna outright and never lead her on. And hopefully the girl would recover from such an event very quickly.

But the older sister didn't want to anticipate too much anxiety. It was possible, after all, that she supposed more than what was there. Eries shook her head. Now was not the time to over analyze and worry over an unlikely event.

Instinctively, she laid a hand on her large belly, stroking it gently and reminding herself of the new responsibility she would have to take care of. There was so much to look forward to.

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Later on, as the ride settled into a comfortable pace and silence, an abrupt sense of dread settled on all three passengers.

Dilandau's instincts were the most trained to pick up on the inexplicable signal. Crimson eyes narrowed, he immediately placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.

Seeing him react thus, Eries was on her guard as well. Millerna looked confused and nervous but dared not utter a word.

Eries and Dilandau exchanged a knowing glance and then waited in suspense for what was coming.

A few moments later, the carriage halted. The three passengers looked at each other in alarm, and Dilandau clutched the hilt of his sword tightly.

A shadow fell over his face and a sinister grin was forming on it. Millerna's eyes widened at this sudden change and Eries merely looked at the young soldier gravely. At this point, she could only be relieved that he was on their side, and she hoped that he would not make too much of a mess.

She was puzzled by the attack, and tried to think of all the political motives that would provoke such an unwise move. She could think of no one to whom her existence was a particular threat. She was frightened now more for her child's sake than for her own, and for once she was extremely grateful that they had bumped into Dilandau along the road.

They heard loud, gruff voices and the hooves of horses outside the carriage. There was the muffled sound of their coach man trying to negotiate or beg the strangers for his life. More shouts and orders were heard and the distinct clinking of swords and other weapons.

Dilandau was listening carefully to their surroundings and he could already estimate the number of their assailants. He looked with disappointment at the two women with him.

He already knew that the coach man was not to be relied on. The man was probably already dead.

Between the two princesses, Eries would have probably been less useless. But in her condition, she was as much of a liability as Millerna was. Dilandau frowned, and hoped that neither would get in his way.

He was growing more and more excited and was merely waiting for the perfect moment to unleash his rage. He didn't care how many there were out there.

"I will slaughter you all," he thought darkly.

"Sister, what do we do?" Millerna whispered frantically.

"No matter what, you must remain calm," Eries whispered back, "and don't get in Dilandau's way."

"Wise words, indeed," Dilandau said authoritatively, "and also make sure that you do everything I tell you, is that clear?"

The two princesses nodded.

"I trust you on this," Eries told him. He made no answer.

Eries exchanged a look with her sister.

_We have to trust him_, she said silently, he's the best protection we've got.

"Get the goods!" someone shouted, "get rid of the target now!"

Someone else grunted in reply and the door was being opened.

And in a flash, Dilandau had jumped out of the carriage, his sword out, slashing at will, and immediately causing a fatal injury the person who had been opening the door.

There were shouts of surprise at the appearance of the soldier. In a moment, Dilandau had slashed a bit more, creating distance between the attackers and the carriage. Dramatic as ever, the captain stood on the roof of the carriage, challenging the attackers and also surveying their forces.

"I thought they were unarmed!" someone cried out incredulously.

"Where's the pregnant one?" another asked.

"It doesn't matter, just get rid of the boy as well!" cried a stocky, dark, bearded man who seemed to be the leader.

"Boy?" Dilandau answered, cackling maniacally, "well, I am younger than you lot, after all."

He looked around him at about a dozen ugly armed bandits, half of whom were riding horses. They were dirty and crude and not well-trained assassins. In a glance, Dilandau knew that they were nothing more than hired thugs, cheap ones, at that.

The carriage was completely surrounded.

"Such a cowardly tactic for attacking a lone pregnant princess," Dilandau taunted them harshly, "you must really be so incompetent as to need all these people to finish the job."

Seeing the flash of madness and menace in the boy's blood-red eyes, the bandits hesitated before attacking him. Even the leader seemed disturbed by his presence.

"Don't just stand there, you fools!" the dark man commanded after a moment, "take him down, he's alone and doesn't stand a chance!"

The others seemed reassured by this logic. One threw a spear at the soldier which Dilandau easily evaded. He caught the spear in the air and threw it right back at the astonished bandit.

"I'll show you how much I can do, you ignorant thugs!" Dilandau shouted, raising his sword.

While he wasn't in the mood to do anything heroic, Dilandau could not stand being underestimated, especially by such low class, ugly goons. He unleashed a fury on them such as they had never seen, because his pride had been hurt and because he had long wanted some hands-on combat.

"The best thing about this sparring session," he thought with sadistic glee, "is that I don't have to show any mercy."

The wild look in his eyes and the incessant cackling was enough to chill the blood of even the hardened criminals. Dilandau stabbed and screamed at horses that were frightened by his presence and fled from the scene, rearing up and dumping their riders on the ground.

As he began to stab and slash at some more bandits, the others had enough presence of mind to try and enter the carriage again. But Dilandau was too fast for them.

One unfortunate bandit, armed with a crossbow, opened the door but soon felt Dilandau's sword go through him.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me, you filthy scum!" the captain cried out.

But the door had been opened and the two princesses watched with wide eyes as the stabbed bandit fell before them. Before the body collapsed to the ground, Eries managed to grab hold of his crossbow.

"Princess Millerna!" Dilandau yelled even as he was busy dueling with another bandit.

"Y-yes," the nervous younger princess replied.

"Drive the carriage, NOW!" Dilandau ordered.

"But what about you?" Millerna asked.

"I said NOW," Dilandau shouted and Millerna could no longer argue, "you're both in my way, so get out!"

Eries nodded to her sister. Had the circumstances been different, Eries would have taken the reins herself but she would have to rely on her sister for this.

"Go," Eries told Millerna, "I'm sure he knows what he's doing."

Nervously, the princess got out the door and saw the bloodshed but Dilandau was covering her so none of the bandits could reach her. She averted her eyes quickly and got on the empty seat of the coachman.

Taking the reins in shaking hands, she raised them and drove the horses forward. Only a few of the bandits were left to pursue them but they needed to get away as fast as possible.

Millerna felt conflicted about leaving Dilandau behind but his orders had been clear. And he seemed to be enjoying himself during the fight. She would not question him.

Dilandau readied his sword eagerly. He would not ride the carriage; he would never run away from a fight like a pathetic, whimpering coward. He would face these filthy rats and annihilate them completely.

"They're getting away!" cried the leader to the few remaining lackeys, "after them!"

The bandits scrambled to obey orders but Dilandau was in front of them in a flash.

"Haven't you idiots realized," the captain said sinisterly to the shocked thugs, "that I'm your only opponent here?"

They had no choice but to engage him in combat, and they found that they were hard-pressed to win even against only one soldier with only a sword as a weapon.

Even with the diverse array of weaponry used against him, Dilandau had been victorious in thwarting them all. And now, when there were only four of the bandits left (including the leader, who had grown more and more distressed by the damage caused to his forces), Dilandau was relishing an inevitable victory.

The bandit leader realized that he would have to get rid of Dilandau before he could easily pursue the two princesses. But seeing how all his men were being defeated by the lone soldier, he was growing more and more nervous. Never had he encountered such a vicious adversary.

"You're a monster!" he exclaimed, sweat pouring down his fat face, at the frenzied captain.

"Some would say so," Dilandau commented with a shrug as he continued fighting with gusto, "so FEAR ME!"

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Meanwhile, a short distance away, the carriage of the two princesses continued to move forward. Eries stuck her head out the window to check how things were going.

"Sister, we can't just leave him there!" Millerna shouted to her passenger.

"I know," Eries replied, "which is why you're going to turn this carriage around?"

"Really?" Millerna asked though she was already pulling the reins, "was this part of the plan?"

"No," Eries answered with a shout, "but it's a move neither the attackers nor Dilandau ever anticipated so we should be all right. We have the element of surprise on our side."

It was a rather crude and reckless tactic but Eries was not really in the position to think of another way. And Millerna was certainly too distressed to do much as well.

While Eries did not possess Folken's talent for military strategies and tactics, she would make the most of what they had.

"What the hell are they doing?" Dilandau exclaimed angrily as he kicked a man to the ground and stabbed him, "I told you to get out of my way!"

He saw the carriage turn around and advance towards them and the young captain was exceedingly displeased. Too bad he could not punish those two women for insubordination.

The return of the carriage, as expected, took the bandits by surprise as well and they turned their attention to it and to the person inside, enraging Dilandau further, but giving him the advantage of their carelessness.

He cut down one of the bandits who had been running towards the charging carriage. And just as Dilandau was pulling his bloodied sword out of the poor victim, he heard Eries shout.

"Dilandau, GET DOWN!"

And the trained soldier did so immediately bending backwards flexibly, and just in time to see an arrow whizz just millimeters above his nose and into the chest of a bandit who had been about to cut him down from behind.

The filthy goon fell to the ground at once. Dilandau watched this with distaste before turning to face the carriage that had just stopped a few meters from where he stood. And he saw Eries waving at him through the open window, a crossbow in her hands. He would never admit that he was slightly impressed.

Crossing his arms in disapproval, he glared at her.

"That was a little too close for comfort!" he yelled at her, "you barely missed my face!"

"I trusted your excellent instincts and your amazing flexibility," Eries answered with amusement, "and you're welcome, by the way."

"Hmmph," he said in reply, shaking the blood of his sword nonchalantly, "when did you learn to use that thing anyway?"

"I picked up a few useful skills in Zaibach during my spare time," Eries replied smugly, "I'm not completely helpless, you know."

"Hmmph, whatever you say," Dilandau replied gruffly.

The two remaining bandits recovered from their shock and ran towards the carriage, brandishing their weapons.

Dilandau was able to get rid of the one who had charged straight at Eries. The unfortunate man suffered both at the crimson-eyed captain's sword and at the crossbow which the princess had managed to reload with great dexterity.

"HELP!" a scream was heard from the front of the carriage. Dilandau and Eries turned to see Millerna in the clutches of the bandit leader, and the only survivor of the massacre.

The frantic old man held the princess' arms behind her back and had a dagger pointed to her neck.

"Millerna!" Eries cried out in concern.

Dilandau rolled his eyes.

"You people have no imagination," he remarked in annoyance.

"Hand over the pregnant one if you want this one to live," the bandit threatened, pointing the dagger deeper into Millerna's neck.

The princess whimpered. And Eries stepped out from the carriage.

"So go ahead and kill her," Dilandau told the bandit indifferently, "I couldn't care less."

"WHAT?" Eries, Millerna, and the bandit exclaimed simultaneously.

And that moment of shock and hesitation was just what Dilandau needed to lunge forward, grab Millerna expertly from the bandit, and clamp a hand around the filthy old man's neck. The old bandit only managed to make his dagger slightly graze Dilandau's arm. A thin line of blood appeared beneath the torn cloth of the captain's sleeve.

Dilandau's eyes grew wide at the contact and at the stinging sensation.

"HOW DARE YOU MAR MY ARM?" the young captain screamed maniacally, his eyes filled with hate.

Dilandau dropped the princess roughly and focused on squeezing on the bandit leader's neck. The younger man pushed his enemy to the ground and the latter began to struggle and flail his arms, but to no avail.

The bloodthirsty captain proved so much stronger than the veteran mercenary had expected. It was so unfair; they had not been prepared to face such an enemy. It had not been part of the contract.

"Monster," the old man managed to mutter as he felt greater pressure around his throat.

"Die, fool," Dilandau muttered, "you will pay for damaging my perfect arm!"

Sword raised and ready to plunge into his enemy, Dilandau was then about to deal the fatal blow when Eries stopped him.

"Wait," the princess said.

"What now?" Dilandau asked in exasperation, but Eries held a hand up to shush him.

"Who sent you?" Eries addressed the dying bandit sternly.

Dilandau loosened his hold ever so slightly on the man, who sputtered and coughed.

"None of your business," he managed to mutter tauntingly. Eries glared at him.

"I've heard enough!" Dilandau screamed, taking his sword and plunging it into the heart of the last bandit standing.

The princesses winced and averted their eyes. Eries helped Millerna up and they both got into the carriage, shaken but silent.

At length, after cleaning himself up somewhat, Dilandau climbed into the driver's seat and took hold of the reins.

"Let's get out of here," he muttered gravely.

And as they drove away, a loud explosion was heard as the area where they had been fighting burst into flames. The two princesses looked out their windows in shock and worry while Dilandau merely smirked with sinister satisfaction.


	20. Chapter 19

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: Friends, welcome to the penultimate chapter.

I just had to write that because I wanted to use that word. But all jest and vocabulary aside, the story is nearing the end, and I am doing all that I can to meet the deadline. By hook or by crook this thing will be done!

I'm currently swamped with school work and whatnot but I managed to slip this in. A little less action this time (at least from Dilandau's end). He's caused enough trouble for one story, I think, and we need to calm him down before the final events take place.

Though this is the penultimate chapter, I already have some mixed feelings about writing it. The story has been on my drafts and on my mind for so long that I'm a bit sad to see it (almost) end. But then again, I'm also happy and relieved that I can complete yet another long story so that I can move on to finishing the other incomplete stories and writing a new one-shot or two.

But that's thinking too much ahead. I think I'll be happy enough just to be able to post this chapter on time. You can be sure of when the last chapter will be posted though. I will not waver, not when I've come this far and worked this hard (and now have become this dramatic about stuff.) I hope that what leads to the ending will be satisfying for you all.

So thanks for continuing to support this and hope you like this chapter.

Chapter Nineteen

"WHAT?"

A metal fist banged against the table, and in an uncharacteristic show of emotion, Lord Folken demanded to know the current location of his wife.

"Our contacts at the royal rest house said that there has been an unusually long delay in Lady Eries' arrival," the terrified soldier stammered, "and that traces of her carriage have not been found in the direct path of the house."

Folken frowned at this news. He had long learned to trust in his instincts when it came to matters such as these and he had a strong feeling that something had gone very wrong.

She had left the palace in the early morning, just as they had planned. And the trip was meant to be a short and comfortable one. But where could she be?

Eries was in danger. And he was not there to protect her. This was utterly insupportable. Something had to be done.

The soldiers facing him trembled in fear. No one had ever seen the usually calm and composed Strategos display any emotion at all. And yet there he was, clearly incensed at what he was hearing.

Everyone had learned to expect violent displays from Dilandau but this one from Folken was all the more bone-chilling because of its rarity.

Folken closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to appear too emotional at that moment; he could not take this risk. He steeled himself to listen to the report more in his usual manner, and he saw the frightened soldier calm down as his face settled into the cold, expressionless mask that everyone was accustomed to.

"Proceed with the report," he instructed calmly, "have they made any further attempts to find her?"

"A search part has been sent out," the soldier replied, "but the woods are thick and treacherous, and night has fallen. They hope to find her soon."

Folken nodded, seeming more like his old self, though his brow was knotted in concern. It was impossible for him to reach Asturia as fast as he wanted to. They were too far away. But he could not rest until he knew that his family was safe.

"Alert me at once if there is any news of her," he ordered the soldiers, "and tell those who have been sent out not to rest until they have found her!"

"Yes, sir," the soldier replied obediently.

The rest of the subordinates were dismissed and they left the room in a hurry, eager to be as far away from the frightening Strategos as possible. Any man would be upset by such news as they had had the misfortune of giving, and now that they saw how Folken was not completely immune to emotions, they knew that he was still hiding the extreme anxiety that he felt. None of them wished to be in such a situation.

He paced the room in agitation. But what could he do so far away from everything. And he couldn't abandon his task just yet, not even for such an emergency, although he wanted nothing than to be on the search party himself.

Emperor Dornkirk had grown suspicious about the depth of the relationship between Folken and Eries. And Folken could not risk his superior's displeasure. Especially not now.

"Where are you?" he thought silently and frantically, remembering Eries' calmly smiling face.

"Please be safe," he wished hard as he racked his brain for some explanation of these unexpected events.

His reverie was interrupted by a knock on the door. Hopefully and hastily, he gave permission for the messenger to enter.

The young man did so hesitantly, no doubt having already heard of Folken's earlier outburst. But the messenger was relieved to see nothing but the usual calm and stern face of the Strategos before him.

But he was still painfully aware that the serene expression could change the moment he heard the message.

"What news?" Folken asked immediately.

"Sir," the messenger began nervously, "it's about Lord Dilandau."

Folken frowned. The mere mentioning of that young captain's name was enough to give one cause for worry. Why did Dilandau have to cause mischief at such a stressful time?

"Well, what about him?" Folken asked slightly impatiently, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"Lord Dilandau's gone missing," the soldier finally blurted out.

Folken's eyes widened at this but as he listened to the details of this latest escapade, he grew more relieved. For the first time, he was thankful for Dilandau's delinquency.

The stubborn young captain's misdemeanor was proving to be a blessing in disguise. For by the description of the path Dilandau had taken after he had crash landed yet another Alseides prototype, it seemed like the soldier was heading directly towards the route of Princess Eries.

"I'm certain they bumped into each other somehow," Folken thought with a greater sense of composure.

He knew well enough that for all Dilandau Albatou's antagonism towards people in general, the silver-haired soldier had developed a grudging respect towards both the Strategos and his wife. And at times, Dilandau had even shown a protective stance towards Eries, which had surprised the couple when they spoke about it. But Eries wasn't going to complain about that.

The young messenger finished reciting all his information and awaited further instructions awkwardly. But to his relief and surprise, he saw that the Strategos was not at all bothered by the news he had had to relay. For some strange reason, Folken even seemed glad that Dilandau had caused trouble on that day.

"That will be all, then," Folken told the messenger, "since he got lost in the area where my wife was supposedly lost, it would be best to simply inform the search party to look for Dilandau as well."

"Yes, my Lord," the messenger said with a bow.

"Very well," Folken said curtly, "just do what I asked you to and keep tabs on our search party or if you hear any problems which might have come about."

"Yes, sir," the messenger answered timidly.

And the messenger was quickly dismissed and he left the room promptly.

As the door closed, Folken sighed deeply. This did not mean that he was no longer worried about Eries, he was. But the knowledge that Dilandau would at least be around to somehow protect the princess was a burden lifted from the Strategos' tense shoulders.

"I never thought I'd say this," Folken thought, wishing that he could somehow contact the other soldier wherever he may be, "but I'm going to trust you on this one, Dilandau. I will try to find you all as soon as I can but while you wait, I hope you take care of my family."

Folken walked towards the window and tried to ascertain their current location. There was still a long way before they reached the Asturian territories. Until they arrived, Folken would not be able to calm down.

He felt frustrated with himself for not being able to do anything for his family, for having to rely on others to fulfill the responsibilities that were his as a husband and soon, as a father. He did not want to let anyone down, and he wanted a chance to prove how, undeserving though he felt about his current happiness, he was willing to do everything in his power to maintain it.

Once again, Folken frowned and clenched both fists. He needed to find her, he needed o get back to her. Memories flooded his consciousness as he struggled to maintain an appearance of calmness and composure.

"Please be safe," he repeated his prayer, "and wait for me. I'll find you, I swear I will. We will be together again."

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Night had fallen on the woods and the symphony of night noises now resounded. Already the sky was filled with the patchwork of light from the stars that shone brightly as well as the two moons that watched over the land. A chilly wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves, and whispering soft secrets.

But somewhere in the middle of the darkness, a small fire blazed, illuminating the makeshift camp where three lost travelers had chosen to spend the night. The carriage was parked in one corner, while the three passengers gathered around their only source of warmth.

Although they had veered far away from the road and had gotten quite lost in the woods, none of them seemed worried.

Eries, in particular, was her usual calm self because she was confident that as soon as the dawn broke, she would know how to find the way to their destination. Millerna was not so familiar with the surroundings but the older sister knew them well. There was no need to worry about that.

Besides, the greatest threat to their safety had already been eliminated. Dilandau had made sure of that. He had left no survivors in the great funeral pyre of bandits.

The two sisters were bothered by his methods (though Eries was a little more tolerant). But both princesses were wise enough not to question him about them. He had calmed down much since they had left the site of their attack, and was now only waiting for morning so that they could be on their way.

Luckily, Eries had brought some food with her which they managed to share. It was a small but adequate dinner, and they had all eaten in silence.

"Are you all right, sister?" Millerna asked in concern. She knew how well Eries could conceal distress and discomfort if she chose to do so. And with the baby due any day soon, the younger sister was worried.

"I'm fine," the older sister replied truthfully, "I'm just waiting patiently for the sun, so that we can be on our way."

"Surely by now the people from the rest house must have noticed the delay in your arrival," Millerna said.

"Yes," Eries answered, "and if we're lucky, the search party they surely sent out might stumble upon us tonight. But it is of little consequence, we can find our way back. For now, I think we all deserve the rest."

It was only then that Eries actually admitted being physically exhausted. It had been a taxing day, to say the least, and she was relieved that Dilandau had agreed to take a break for the night. Eries was beginning to feel the full weight of the life that throbbed within her, and she needed as much rest as could be managed.

Fortunately, the afternoon's skirmish had made Dilandau tired as well, more than he was willing to admit. Eries and Millerna were extremely grateful for bumping into him.

"For once, his troublemaking in Zaibach was actually beneficial to others," Eries thought.

And she was also flattered by some of his protectiveness. She had known before that he did not despise her as he did most other people. But she had not expected that he would come so eagerly to her defense.

But then again, Eries also knew that Dilandau delighted in any excuse for armed combat. He had clearly enjoyed himself that afternoon. And she knew him well enough not to remind him of his heroic acts. She made sure not to be too enthusiastic about her gratitude, and only hoped that her sister would follow suit.

Another matter continued to plague her though, and that was the motive for the attacks. The grisly men who had come were clearly hired thugs and formidable mercenaries even. It had just been their bad luck that they had crossed paths with one of the most dangerous swordsmen in the land.

The leader had refused to admit who had sent them and Eries pondered on the possible suspects. But though she had her fair share of critics in the past, none of them seemed stupid enough to make an attempt on her life. They would not achieve much even if they did manage to get rid of her. And if they were discovered, there was so much more they stood to lose.

On the other side of the small "camp", the fierce young soldier brooded in silence. He too had been pondering on the bandits and their possible employers. Dilandau knew that the snobbish Asturian politicians who disapproved of some of Eries' decisions would not lower themselves enough to hire such uncivilized goons. Whoever had hired them clearly saw the princess (and maybe even her child) as a threat. It was hard for Dilandau to imagine how this could be possible.

But more than anything, the captain was dangerously upset about the cut that the bandit leader had managed to give him on his arm. The young man continuously stroked the small wound, irritating it and causing it to throb.

"It stings, it stings, and it stings,"he muttered repeatedly, "this blemish on my perfect arm. I was too merciful to that piece of filth. I should have made him suffer a lot longer."

So engrossed was he with stroking his wounded arm that he did not notice the younger princess hesitantly approach him.

Millerna had been watching him shyly and finally got the nerve to go and talk to him. Eries was deep in thought and the younger sister did not want to bother her. But Millerna had grown a little desperate for someone to talk to and she had decided that now was as good a time as ever to initiate some conversation with the mysterious and dangerous young captain. She doubted that there would ever be another opportunity like this after they resumed their normal lives.

Even if the afternoon's attack had been a frightening and stressful experience, Millerna was still somehow glad for the excitement. She hardly had adventures in her life, and she decided that this was a great one.

Earlier, she had managed to express her thanks to Dilandau for saving her life, though in a very unexpected way.

She had been so angry at him when he had expressed indifference about her death tot the bandit leader who held a knife to her throat. But then she realized that it had been a great bluff, and an effective one at that.

Millerna had blurted out a soft, shy, "Thank you for saving my life" to which Dilandau had replied with no more than a curt nod. But that had been exciting enough for Millerna.

Now, however, she had convinced herself that she would exert more effort in talking to him in what might be the only opportunity to do so.

"Thank you again," she managed to mutter softly, "for saving us all."

Dilandau paid no attention to her this time and continued to stroke the throbbing cut on his arm.

"You're hurt!" Millerna cried out in realization, and rushed to his side.

The young man was surprised by the company.

"It's nothing, just a scratch," he replied, "a blemish, a blight on my perfect skin."

Millerna looked at him curiously. This was the first time she had met a man so concerned about his appearance. His vanity almost seemed feminine.

"Stop stroking it," Millerna managed to say, her doctor's instincts somehow flaring up, "you'll cause an infection."

She extended her hand towards the wound but Dilandau immediately brushed it away.

"Who said you could touch me?" he cried out defensively.

Millerna gulped but was not afraid.

"I just want to take a look at it," she said.

"Why," he asked, "are you a doctor?"

"Well," she answered hesitantly, unsure of how much to reveal, afraid of what his reaction might be.

Would he ridicule or oppose her medical studies, just like everyone else had? She decided to take the risk because she was curious about his reaction.

"I've been studying to be one," she continued shyly.

"Hmm?" Dilandau replied not with ill-will but genuine surprise, "and they allowed you to do that?"

"Not really, no," Millerna explained, "but I've been studying nevertheless."

"Hmmph," Dilandau said, "I don't know what's wrong with your stupid politicians. They ought to let you learn something that is infinitely more useful than any silly formal etiquette and other unnecessary princess duties."

Millerna looked at him with wide eyes. That was the closest to praise she had ever received from anyone other than Eries (who had eventually approved of this study choice after seeing that it did have merit). And coming from Dilandau, anything in way of a compliment was highly appreciated.

"Thank you," Millerna said gratefully, "I'm so glad you think so."

"Hmmph," Dilandau replied nonchalantly.

But after that, he allowed her to clean his wound and bandage it properly. Nothing gave Millerna more pleasure, and she reveled in the experience of being close to him without fearing violence or animosity.

Eries watched this whole exchange with worry. Again, she was concerned about her sister's growing attachment to Dilandau. And after the afternoon's events, it was understandable that Millerna's admiration increase.

Eries was also surprised, though, that Dilandau had allowed Millerna to dress his wound. But she hoped that he would no longer encourage the young girl. He, at least, showed no attraction or interest in her sister and for this Eries was immensely grateful.

Even had his feelings been favorable to Millerna, which was highly unlikely considering it was Dilandau, the match would never be approved by King Aston. Though Dilandau was an impressive soldier and an up and coming officer, he would not be a suitable match for a princess of Asturia.

Besides, even if Dilandau's rank were higher, King Aston would not marry another one of his daughters to someone from Zaibach. Alliances needed to be made with the other countries as well.

But Millerna could be so stubborn and headstrong sometimes. And Eries knew her sister well enough to know that to openly dissuade her from doing something would only make Millerna more determined to do it.

Eries sighed and shook her head.

"Now that I think about it," Eries thought ironically, "those two have more in common than they think. Both are stubborn and hard-headed. And both are so eager to defy the authorities."

And Millerna seemed to be the only young girl that Dilandau tolerated to be around him for long.

"Oh, no," Eries thought, and then she shook her head further. She would find a way to prevent such an ill-fated match. And she would discuss the matter with Folken as well.

Remembering her husband, Eries could not help but look up to the sky, searching for the flying fortress that would surely have come if Folken had been nearby. The news of her disappearance and delayed arrival would have reached him now and Eries knew that he would be extremely worried.

But his assignment was far away, and it would take some time for him to get back to her. She smiled as she remembered him.

"By the time he arrives," Eries thought, "we will all be settled in the rest-house already."

She missed him badly though. There were so many things she wanted to talk to him about. And sometimes, she simply missed being with him.

Eries sighed and smiled. She had gotten so sentimental since her marriage, and so had he. But they were happy, and she began to wonder if it was their happiness that threatened someone enough to want to have her killed.

Nearby, Dilandau gave a loud yawn which grew contagious and soon the two princesses were eager to sleep as well. Millerna and Eries would sleep in the carriage, while Dilandau preferred to stay outside.

"Don't get me wrong," he said defensively, "I'm not your little body guard. It's just more comfortable out here than in the stuffy carriage."

"Suit yourself," Eries had replied, too tired to argue.

So they all retired for the night and managed to get a restful sleep. At the break of dawn, they were all up and ready to go.

"So how do we get out of here?" Dilandau asked, designating himself as the driver.

"There's a small stream nearby," Eries instructed, "if we drive along it that should lead us straight to the rest house."

"Simple enough," Dilandau replied, "hopefully, we won't have more unexpected delays."

It did not take long for them to find the stream Eries had mentioned and they proceeded to drive along it, Dilandau taking a furiously fast pace.

But after about two hours of travelling, the carriage came to an abrupt halt. Dilandau cursed aloud as he jumped down to see what was wrong.

"What's the matter?" Eries asked, opening the window. But by the volume and intensity of Dilandau's swearing, she knew that it would not be good news.

"We passed by a stupid bump in the road," Dilandau managed to explain through his frustration, "it damaged one of the wheels, and one of the horses sprained its leg. Damn it!"

Eries sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

"Maybe this wouldn't have happened if you weren't driving so fast," she was tempted to tell Dilandau but decided against it. To put the blame on someone would not improve their situation.

They would simply have to deal with the fact that they would be stuck there for a while.

But the princess was beginning to wonder if the forces of the universe really conspiring against them? If so, then she wanted to know what she had done to merit such treatment from Fate?

"What are we going to do now, sister?" Millerna asked worriedly.

"We have no choice but to wait here until someone finds us," Eries answered, "the carriage is useless now and even one of our horses is injured. Well, I suppose things couldn't get any worse."

And just as she had uttered those words, Eries felt a sudden stab of pain fill her entire body. Millerna saw this and knew at once what was going on and immediately tried to help her sister.

"I spoke too soon," Eries muttered with a small smile as she started to breathe heavily to try and endure her current condition.

Dilandau heard some cries inside the carriage and he grew very suspicious.

"WHAT NOW?" the young man asked in irritation. He was fast losing his temper with their inconvenient predicament and he couldn't imagine what else could possibly go wrong.

The carriage door opened and Millerna was helping a heavily breathing Eries out slowly and carefully.

"What's going on here?" Dilandau demanded angrily.

"My sister's water has broken," Millerna explained hurriedly, "she's going into labor."


	21. Chapter 20

Beyond Aeaea

DISCLAIMER: _The Vision of Escaflowne _is not legally mine but the visions of this story are.

NOTE: And now, the final chapter. Thank you for sticking with me to the very end and I hope you enjoyed where the story has taken you.

(I have no medical knowledge whatsoever so I'm keeping the details in that area to a bare minimum. And this chapter is full of both cheesiness and comedy, so forgive me.)

All my other, more specific thanks will be expressed after the chapter. Read and enjoy.

Chapter Twenty

"Don't you dare think of abandoning us here!" Millerna shouted angrily.

"I don't take orders from you!" Dilandau retorted furiously, as he was about to mount the uninjured horse.

Everything had gone awry as Eries lay by the side of the road, struggling with her pain, with Millerna at her side, frantically thinking of what to do, and Dilandau about to leave them on the only means of transportation left.

"I'm going to get out of here," Dilandau announced harshly, "and I'll find someone, a doctor or something, to come back here for you."

Neither sister believed he would be that generous. It was clearly only an excuse to get away.

Eries supposed that after he had helped them fend off the bandits, he thought he had done enough. But she couldn't let him leave now, not when they were most vulnerable. Even through her pain, she racked her brain for some words that could convince him to stay.

Millerna wasn't doing a very effective job of convincing him, but the girl was too frantic to think straight. She was scared and worried, and could not remain calm. She could not believe what was happening and the stress was making her desperate.

"How could you be so cruel?" the younger princess railed at him, "after all that we've been through, why do this?"

"What are you talking about?" Dilandau asked her, "I owe you nothing. I'm sick and tired of wasting my time wandering in these woods. I'll find someone else to take care of you."

Though his words were cold and harsh, Eries could see that there was the slightest hint of fear in his eyes. He had never been in such a situation before, something he could not control or he could not destroy. He was as confused and nervous as they were and he wanted nothing but to flee from all the uncertainty, back to somewhere more familiar.

Eries took a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking in her pain, and collecting her thoughts. She didn't notice that for some strange reason, Dilandau had walked towards her.

"Don't you die out here," he told her, "Folken will never recover. I'm sure he'll find you."

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked deeply into his. She needed to reassure him, to make him stay until Folken did find them. She trusted them both.

With some effort, Eries extended her hand and grabbed his arm tightly. Dilandau tried to jerk away but the princess' grip was tight. He looked angry but Eries could feel that he wasn't really resisting that much. A small nudge in the right direction would be enough.

"Please," she begged him earnestly, "don't leave us alone."

Dilandau's eyes widened at these words and he became very still. Millerna watched him carefully and curiously, and Eries waited hopefully. Something had come over him all of a sudden, and he seemed very different.

"Alone," he whispered, his eyes still wide, staring into somewhere, some vague memory.

"Dilandau?" Eries asked in concern.

He seemed to snap out of his trance and he shook his head.

"Fine," he muttered begrudgingly, jerking his hand out of hers, "only because Folken will never shut up about this if he found out."

Eries and Millerna sighed with relief as the young captain went to stand in one side. At least, they would have some protection in case anything else happened.

So once again, all attention turned to the woman in labor. Eries tried to steady her breathing and suppressed the urge to scream as she felt the contractions. Millerna was by her side, holding her hand and trying to comfort her with reassuring words.

She tried to distract herself by dwelling on the humorous aspects of their situation. It was all so ironic, really.

"So much for all my planning," she thought with a laugh, "I had wanted to bring my child to the world in a place that wasn't as complicated as a palace or a flying fortress. It turns out my wish did come true in a strange and very unexpected way."

For there they were, in the middle of nowhere, with no means of transportation, no provisions, and certainly no medical equipment. It was a very natural setting for new life to emerge, but hardly a comfortable one.

"Sister," Eries told Millerna gently, "I think that this is the perfect opportunity for you to demonstrate your medical skills."

"My-my skills?" Millerna asked nervously, "but there's no way, I mean, all I've learned I've only read in journals, and I haven't had any real experience."

"Well, now's your chance then," Eries replied calmly, though still struggling with the pain.

"But still, I don't know, I'm not sure," Millerna said in a panic.

She had read much about these situations but she didn't want to put her sister at risk if she made a mistake. What surprised her so much was how Eries was still so much calmer than she was, given the tense situation. But Millerna could see how much her sister was struggling.

"Stop wasting time sobbing about it and just do what you can!" Dilandau interrupted impatiently, "if you know how to deal with this kind of thing, then just make the most of what's available! We don't really have a choice here!"

Millerna seemed slightly empowered by this command and she steeled herself. She looked at Eries once again and the latter nodded at her, trusting her completely. Millerna resolved not to waste that trust.

"You're right," she said, "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you," Eries whispered weakly.

So the younger princess folded her sleeves and prepared to apply her skills. She and Dilandau found a comfortable spot for Eries to lie down as she continued to pant heavily. The young man was not at ease with being so close to a bleeding woman and tried to keep his distance after helping.

Not having many rags or pieces of cloth to work with, Millerna tore out bits of her heavily layered dress and washed them with water from the stream. She carefully cleaned up Eries' legs and helped her sister as much as she could, holding her hand, whispering words of encouragement, and checking the time between each contraction.

Millerna prepared as many clean cloths as she could from both her and her sister's clothing. Dilandau averted his eyes from the process and tried to maintain a very indifferent stance. But after a while, Millerna called out to him.

"I'm going to need your help," she asked earnestly.

"I am not about to hold her hand or anything like that," Dilandau said stubbornly.

"Don't worry," Millerna said calmly, "I just need you to heat some water from the stream. Do you think you can do that please?"

Dilandau nodded, much to Millerna's relief. She wasn't sure how he was planning to accomplish that task but she knew that anything involving the use of fire was within his field of expertise. And true enough, he managed to find some small metal container from the carriage and he proceeded to doing the task.

Eries was closing her eyes and wincing but remained quite calm.

"Sister, maybe it would be better if you stopped restraining yourself," Millerna advised, "just scream or shout if you're in pain, it will help."

"Are you sure you want to hear that?" Eries asked with a weak smile.

"Don't worry about us," Millerna said, "you have to be as comfortable as you can."

"I suppose you're right," Eries muttered, again taking deep breaths, "but brace yourself."

And for the next few minutes, flocks of birds flew up from the trees and various woodland creatures fled from their homes.

Millerna and Dilandau stopped what they were doing to cover their ears, neither expecting Eries' warning to be very serious. Both youths did not imagine that anyone could scream so loudly, that such sounds could ever emerge from the calmest princess on Gaea.

But Millerna only realized how much pain her sister was in, to be able to unleash such furious cries. And she was also a bit remorseful about her advice.

"MAKE HER STOP!" Dilandau yelled furiously, his hands still on his ears.

"I CAN'T!" Millerna replied.

Fortunately, Eries knew that she had frightened them enough and had released enough tension to keep her calm and quiet for another few hours. She stopped screaming at once and resumed her labored breathing.

"I warned you," she whispered to Millerna once the princess returned to take her hand, "but don't worry, I won't be screaming like that for a while."

"I certainly hope so," Dilandau muttered, "or else, I don't care what happens, I'm just going to leave you here."

"Sorry about that, Dilandau," Eries replied, with the same sense of humor, before closing her eyes and enduring the pain.

"How long will it take before the brat comes out?" Dilandau asked Millerna.

"There's no way of knowing," the younger princess replied, "for some it takes only a few hours, and others stay in labor for nearly two days."

"WHAT?" the soldier cried out incredulously.

"I know," Eries reassured him, "and for all our sakes, I hope this ends soon."

But she knew that this would last a lot longer than she anticipated. Eries couldn't explain it; she could only feel it. For some ineffable reason, she sensed that the baby refused to come out because he or she was waiting for something, or someone.

And somehow, she was waiting too, though it seemed ridiculous to do so given their current situation.

But she was patient and resilient, and she would wait. Because, logic be damned, Eries knew that he was on his way.

"Folken," she addressed the sky, sending her thoughts out into the world, "we're waiting for you. Find us here."

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"Sir, we're nearing the Asturian border," a soldier reported.

"Good," the Strategos replied, standing close to the window of the flying fortress. They were finally there.

"Proceed immediately to the area near the royal rest house," he ordered.

He rubbed his aching head and took a deep breath. His eyes were sunken and he was exhausted from the lack of rest.

He had spent a sleepless night waiting for any news of Eries. But the search had yielded no results and he had grown more and more anxious. No one had spotted Dilandau as well.

Something told him that she was still alive but he needed to make sure. It seemed like he would have to be the one to find her, and he prayed that he would not be too late.

He had spent the whole night worrying and pondering on their life together, and how fragile everything now seemed. His priorities now were clearer than ever, though how he would protect them was another, more complicated matter.

All Folken knew now was that he needed to protect his family, Eries and their child, even if it meant going against the man who had taken him under his wing for the past ten years. Somehow the Strategos did not believe as firmly as he used to in the Emperor's plans and motivations.

He now saw that there was still some good in that world, something precious and worth protecting. He did not want to be involved in plunging all of Gaea in an endless war so that the Destiny Prognosticator could destroy it and create a new world.

And the more he studied and reflected, the more he realized the flaws in Emperor Dornkirk's methods. And also something about Folken's Draconian heritage seemed to remind him of what happened ages ago when the Atlanteans grew complacent.

History would repeat itself in the destruction of the whole world again, and now, Folken fervently refused to be involved in that.

But he would have to plan his future very carefully. Deserting Zaibach was not a simple matter, and he would have to think of the dangerous consequences for himself and his family. There would also be the matter of where to seek asylum should he leave Zaibach. And how he would explain things to his younger brother should he ever decide to return to Fanelia.

It was now time to return, to face the past he thought he had left behind.

And yet, he did not just want to leave Zaibach, and selfishly pursue his own happiness. There was something else.

Folken narrowed his eyes and looked around at the structure of the flying fortress and pondered on all the technology and advancement he had helped make possible for the empire.

He needed to stop Emperor Dornkirk's plans. But he couldn't possibly do this alone. So much preparation had to made, so many factors to consider.

All these thoughts compounded with his worry and concern over Eries' disappearance were causing a massive headache for the talented Strategos, and he rubbed his forehead with his organic hand, trying to massage it as best as he could.

There was too much to think about but the most important matter for the moment was Eries' safety, and that of their child. He needed to find her and protect her again.

In remembering his wife, Folken smiled and a horde of memories flooded back to him, somehow giving him comfort.

He had never imagined that such a simple, happy life could be possible for him, after all that had happened, after all that he had chosen to forget.

It was amazing how a strangely vivid dream had somehow become a beautifully complicated reality.

"My dear Eries," he thought fondly, and at once he could see her face, her smile, and he could hear her laugh, her reprimands, her calm comments, and her words of love.

He loved her, and he would do everything in his power to protect her.

Funny how such a simple resolution, such a short promise was probably the most difficult to fulfill in his entire life. Because it was a labor of a lifetime, a commitment that should never be broken. Every word uttered during their wedding, every vow exchanged now no longer seemed like mere ceremonies or necessary rituals, but true promises, binding and indestructible.

"This is not the life I imagined myself having," Eries had told him one day, "which is why I am all the more thankful for how things had turned out."

"I'm glad that you feel the same way," he had replied with a smile, "this was beyond my expectations as well."

"Our being together has surprised so many people," Eries had remarked, "but I think those who are most surprised at this are the two of us. It's a strange idea."

"But we were pleasantly surprised," Folken teased, "and that's all that matters."

"Once again, you're right, my love," Eries had answered with a laugh. She had poured some of the vino Dilandau had given them into two glasses. She raised hers.

"Here's to a life full of pleasant surprises," she had said. And they had toasted to it.

The time they had spent together was never enough, and now Folken resolved to change that. Now, more than ever, did he realize how important, how dear, she was to him, now that there was a possibility of losing her.

And though he would make sure to investigate what had happened with great tenacity, he knew that the first thing that he would do when he saw her was to take her in his arms. He was no longer so concerned about appearances. And besides, most people in Zaibach were already aware of their great bond.

As soon as they reached Asturian air space, Folken ordered the soldiers to thoroughly scan the area below for any sight of the princess.

Despite the lack of sleep, Folken was wide awake, and his eyes scanned the scenes below him urgently, seeking any sign of his wife. He knew now that only he would be able to find her, and that wherever she was, she was waiting for him, along with their child. They were waiting for him.

The nearer they flew to the place where she would have been travelling, the more anxious Folken became. The woods were thick in that area close to the palace and the trees obscured the view. But Folken peered into it nonetheless, wishing that his eyes could burn into the foliage to see what or who were beneath.

He gave orders to prepare their own search party to land in the woods.

"My dear Eries," Folken asked silently, "where are you?"

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There was no mistaking that familiar shadow.

Dilandau looked up to see the Vione in the distance, quickly flying towards them. They had been waiting for hours and Eries had remained in labor. But now all would be well.

"They're here!" he cried out in excitement, "Zaibach has arrived!"

"Did you hear that, sister?" Millerna said eagerly.

"Yes," Eries replied faintly, but with a smile, "he's come for us at last."

But as Dilandau stared up at the flying fortress, he frowned. It was still some way above them and the people aboard would not be able to see them through the thickness of the trees.

"Well, I'm going to make sure they see us," he muttered with determination, beginning to pile some debris on the carriage.

"Millerna," Eries cried frantically, "I think the child is coming!"

"What?" the young princess answered in a panic, "but can't you wait just a little bit longer, for when the doctors arrive?"

"I don't think so," Eries replied, already struggling to talk, beads of sweat shining on her pale face, "I think the baby's waited long enough."

"All right, all right," Millerna said, squeezing Eries' hand and then going to where the princess' legs were spread out, "are you ready?"

Eries nodded.

There were tears on Eries' face as she struggled but she listened as Millerna encouraged her and instructed her to push as much as she can.

"You can do this, sister," Millerna coached, "just push, push, push. You're doing fine, just continue to push."

Eries winced and shouted a bit as she pushed, knowing that her child was on his way out, that new life was just about to burst forth from her. The pain was unimaginable but she endured it with great fortitude.

Meanwhile, a loud explosion was heard as Dilandau set the carriage on fire.

"What are you doing?" Millerna screamed, not leaving her place.

"I'm making sure they find us," Dilandau yelled back. He made a face when he saw what was happening and turned away, disgusted by all the blood.

Millerna nodded and then concentrated on delivering the baby. This was no time to be distracted.

"I can see his head, sister," the doctor-princess said, "just keep pushing, you're almost there."

And Eries pushed and pushed, exhausting all her remaining strength, and reminding herself that all would be well, that the pain was temporary. Then, in a few moments, it was over, and Eries heard that loud cry that made her heart grow full.

"He's here, he's here," Millerna said, tears in her eyes as she held the newborn babe gently in her arms, wrapped in shreds of her dress, "he's beautiful."

Without speaking, mesmerized by the whole scene, Dilandau cut the umbilical cord with his sword (which he had sterilized earlier on Millerna's instructions). He was both disgusted and fascinated by the whole event.

Eries sighed with relief and laughed with utter happiness, her face streaked with sweat and tears. Millerna carefully gave the child to his mother and Eries held him close to her, kissing his tiny forehead.

Millerna was in the process of cleaning her sister up as best as she could when the rescuers arrived, Folken running ahead of them all. The younger princess was then thankful for Dilandau's quick thinking for they had seen the signal clearly.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Dilandau exclaimed folding his hands across his chest.

Some of the soldiers who had alighted from the small ship were his own Dragon Slayers and they quickly apologized profusely for their tardiness.

Folken rushed to his wife's side, and held both her and the child gently as he could. At the sight of Eries' smiling face and the small figure she held in her arms, Folken could not suppress the tears that flowed from his eyes.

"Thank goodness you're all right," he said immediately.

"I knew you'd come," Eries whispered with a smile, "I knew you'd find us."

"Sorry it took so long," Folken apologized quickly.

Eries shook her head.

"No, no," she replied calmly, "you're right on time. Allow me to introduce you to your son."

And then, Folken looked at the newborn child, their child, the life they had formed together, and smiled.

This was his family, and nothing in the world was more precious.

Dilandau and Millerna watched the scene curiously, the former unable to suppress her tears as well.

"It's all so beautiful," she thought with a smile.

Behind her, Dilandau rolled his eyes at her reaction but could not help but watch the scene as well. There was something so peaceful about those three, and he had never seen anything like it before, not within the cold, dark walls of Zaibach. Something stirred within him that he did not quite understand.

His reverie was interrupted, however, when he had to catch Millerna in his arms. She had fainted from exhaustion.

"Silly girl," the captain muttered in annoyance, "such a nuisance."

And yet, he did not drop her to the ground. Her eyes were closed but she sighed softly and smiled contentedly.

Folken, Eries, and their newborn son, remained together on the grassy ground, unwilling to break apart for the next few minutes. And no one wanted to bother them as they reveled in their bliss.

"Thank you," Folken whispered to his wife, "for giving me the love and happiness which I never thought was possible for me."

"Oh, my dear Folken," Eries answered earnestly, "you have given me just as much joy in my life. And right now, everything is perfect."

"I love you," he said simply.

"I love you," she replied with a smile.

And he leaned down to kiss her, and then, he held both her and their son close to his heart.

Aeaea was like a distant dream now. They had a whole new life together to face beyond it

-FIN-

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_And thus ends my longest Folken and Eries story to date. Starting from a bunch of crazy dreams and a weird premise, this story finally made its way from my muddled imagination to these virtual pages. Thank you for appreciating my bizarre take on my favorite Escaflowne couple, and I hope you enjoyed the journey._

_(I didn't name their child because I'm really bad with new character names and I didn't want to ruin it for anyone if I picked a lousy name. So there.)_

_Let me thank all those who have left a review for the story so far: Jaredin Snow, AmethystWings, Going Away, liz, IVIaedhros, jan, Arachne, Niello, Priya-chan, windwraith, Ron and his Sakura, and Millefiore!_

_Thank you so much, your feedback has been most encouraging and I really love reading any comments you might have about the story. Thank you!_

_And thank you as well to those who added this story to their favorites: AmethystWings, Darth Vicious, demetra1792, EriesAston, Millefiore, mystlady, Niello, Priya-chan, and Summer Skye._

_And for those who put this on their alerts, thank you, and your wait is over: rellik-tida, kayarn, Millefiore, and Lieutenant L'Emir._

_If I missed anyone, sorry and THANK YOU TOO._

_I didn't think it would be this long, but the story took over me and here it is. I also wasn't sure if I would finish on time, but the forces of the universe somehow made this possible._

_So I'm glad to be posting the finale of this story on 10-10-10. This is my little contribution to history._


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